Ba'ed El Layali
by Cliscia
Summary: Banished to the back of the shadow realm and Malik's mind, Mariku has been alone for a long while, wishing for anything to cure the boredom. But when he realizes something else IS there, he would give anything to be alone again. Tentacles and genderswitch
1. Chapter o1

**I've uploaded a lot of things recently, hmm... But I've been wanting to write tentacles for a long while now, since nobody ever writes kinks with Mariku in fanfiction that interest me. -now, everybody 'aw'- So yes. This will be updated when I get bored, and I won't be on a set schedual. And for no aparent reason, Mariku has a girl crotch. That's to all of you who have been wanting genderbend fic, even though he's exactly the same, just doesn't have a willy, but has a vagu. I was callous enough to use the title from one of my favorite songs by Amr Diab. Because what fits better to tentacle rape then Egyptian Pop Music? ...Enjoy.**

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Boredom was not something that Mariku had originally mused over in the beginning. In his reign of terror, he had thought many times of what would happen should the part of himself that was Malik decide to take control again. He had imagined feeling hatred if such a thing were to happen, fear of what would happen to him, and of course, the loneliness that he would be forced to endure until Malik died, forced to the very back of their mind from where he had been born. Or until he claimed rightful ownership over their body. But boredom was not something he had imagined.

But like many things that he had come to learn, he had been wrong. There was still anger, hatred, loneliness, yes, but above all was the boredom of a constant void of black that never changed, numbing his mind to a point where he thought he had begun to become sane. It was pitch black, and nothing could be seen apart from his own body which stayed clear, still clothed in what he had worn on the blimp. But if there was no color, how could his world be black? Mariku thought about things like these, when there was little else to do. Sometimes, if he concentrated hard enough, Mariku could imagine a path lined with small pebbles where he walked for hours, assuming there was time in his banishment. And if he leaned down, he could reach out and pick one of the pebbles up and _feel_ it, twisting it in his fingers before throwing it into the blackness, the nothingness. And in the sense that there was nothing around him, there was also something with him.

It wasn't physical, and he couldn't lay a finger on it, but it was a presence that seemed to watch him. Mariku had at first assumed that it was the abstract idea of himself, of his personality that was Malik, making sure in the back of his mind that he would not…misbehave. That idea was cast aside shortly when he realized that there was no mental imagery inside of this world; Malik was Mariku, he was himself, and nothing different, and what he did to himself that was Mariku would be thought of not in this space of nothing. Ideas like those made Mariku's head hurt. It was there constantly, that feeling of being watched, and so Mariku gradually learned to ignore it. Even though, if being watched meant that there was something besides him here, he would welcome it as a change from the black hell he was forced into.

-

Mariku never truly knew if he was walking. He could feel his legs move and his heart rate increase just a small fraction, but when his world never changed, Mariku could never know for sure if he was going somewhere at all. It didn't stop him, though, from wanting to walk. At least then it gave him something to do. But today, like every other day, he had nothing, and his head hurt with boredom. That path of pebbles had come back, and Mariku liked to imagine that it was leading him to something, a savior of sorts. He frowned at that idea. He didn't need anybody to save him… or at least, that's what he would have thought if he was still in control of the body. Now, he knew that he had been naïve, and that he was just in need of saving like anyone else, if not more.

Exhaling, Mariku sighed and looked down at his feet. He still wore the same shoes that he had during the Battle City Finals… Vaguely, he wondered how the soles hadn't been completely worn out. Scuffing his feet along the rocks, he scattered pebbles out into the blackness, frowning again when they were lost. Making a move to kick some more, Mariku was surprised when he continued to hear the pebbles he had kicked skid across what could have been considered the ground, there was the sound of something being plopped into water.

…Water?

His heart beating faster at the prospect of something different to amuse himself with, Mariku couldn't help but grin as he picked up a nicely sized one and chucked it into the direction that he had heard the sound. Listening for it to hit the ground, his heart rate increased even more when another audible 'plop' sound was heard. Abandoning the paved path, his strides became longer until he was running to the sound of water, anticipating what all he could do. And when the distractions of the water failed to entertain him, Mariku decided that he would drown himself, and end his lonely misery.

There was something suddenly ahead, and Mariku laughed at the idea that he could finally see something other than black, that there WAS something more to his world. Coming to a stop, Mariku had been right when he thought he had heard water, an endless body of water stretching out before him, light reflecting off of the surface as its tide lapped up against the blackness of the shore. But if light reflected off of it, where did that light come from…? Not thinking about it much, Mariku crouched down, staring at the ripples the water made against his feet. He reached out, apprehensive if he was just hallucinating, he was reassured and his nerves were extirpated when the water was physical, smooth against his skin. Lifting his hand out against it, Mariku rubbed the water onto his face, the feeling of something different than space so good against his skin, making him feel like he was drowning in the sensation. Putting his hand back into the water again and swishing it around, Mariku moved onto his knees so that he could reach his whole arm into the water, moaning in euphoria at the feeling.

It felt good to feel.

He stayed like that for a while, leaning over so that the sensation of water stayed against his skin, making little, happy noises at the touch. The feeling of water made him delirious. But he pulled his arms quickly out of the water and scooted back so quickly that he landed on his backside, heart beating faster not out of giddyness, but out of fear. With his arms in the water and his eyes closed, he hadn't expected something to wrap around his hand and try to tug him in. It was more shock, then anything else.

Feeling a little sick as his heart continued to beat faster than it had been, Mariku tried to calm himself by breathing slowly, feeling embarrassed that he had gotten so upset over what had happened. Of course there was nothing there, what he had felt he had just imagined. Laughing out loud at his own, stupid mistake, Mariku moved back onto his hands and knees and tested the water again, sliding his arms forward so that his chest now rested in it as well, head just above the water. He closed his eyes and smiled, wondering if this was a sort of apology from whatever divine intervention that decided to take pity upon him. He appreciated their gift, this gift, and Mariku sighed. He hadn't felt happy in a long, long time…

Moving himself back out of the water so that he could pull off his clothes and appreciate it fully, Mariku's eyes shot wide open when he felt something slide around his neck and pull his entire body into the water. He was confused as to what was happening when that thing around his neck started to tighten, and he clawed at it with his hands, gasping for breath as it tried to squeeze it out of him. And then there were more things. They were everywhere around him as they pulled at his legs and arm and chest and stomach and everywhere, each one trying to tug him down into the water. He could feel himself go light headed, not once screaming, no one there to listen, and Mariku was scared; he wasn't ready to die. Taking one last final gulp as the long thing around his neck squeezed a final time, Mariku's limbs went limp as he fainted.

And maybe the water had been sent by Odysseus. After all, it wasn't a gift at all. It had been a Trojan Horse, and he had let himself be blinded at the idea of happiness.

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**I am to a stripper as your reviews are to tips. Keep me writing, and keep me stripping happily, please.**

**And short first chapter, I know, but the rest will be regular lengthd.**


	2. Chapter o2

**Dear everyone: Mariku does not 'transform' into a girl. He's exactly the same, just has a girl crotch and acts like he has had it his entire life. Lul transvestiteish.**

**I'm making Mariku's personality just a bit different here. Since he's been inside Malik's mind for about five years now, he's lost his sadistic insanity and reverted back to his real 'age', which stays the same at six years old, so he's just a bit childish. Thought I should explain beforehand. Although I'm so ttly lulzy, my fics aren't, and you should not, at any time, lul at them.**

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It felt good to sleep.

When he slept, Mariku could forget where he was.

During sleep, the only blackness created was inside his mind.

Making a noise in the back of his throat, Mariku sighed and shifted, vaguely wondering how he could feel so warm and comfortable in a place that was only a colorless void. He hadn't remembered sleeping in such a long time… And he didn't want it to end. His life, or what at least could be considered what was left of his life, was filled only with numbing boredom. At least when he slept, it was a way to pass the time, and he could think over and relive the dreams he had had. But this time, he didn't dream.

It was just a wonderful state of repose, where he felt warm and happy at remembering the water, wanting to go back to it when he woke up. The water… Mariku could feel something nagging at him at the back of his mind as he slept. The water. There was something not right about it… Moaning quietly as he shifted again, Mariku ran his hands along the ground, furrowing his eyebrows slightly when it was not a flat surface. Moving his hand over the ground again, he was confused when it was bumpy in some places, and smooth in others. Wanting to open his eyes to investigate what it was, Mariku felt himself suddenly falling.

The feeling was so sudden that by the time that his eyes were wide open and he was looking desperately around, he was back in the blackness. Confused and a bit fearful as to what was happening, Mariku frowned and looked upward into the place that had no dimensions. He was back again. Sighing, Mariku's good mood from sleep was gone, realizing that he would have again nothing to do until the pebble path came back so that he could find the water once again. All left to do was wait. Turning around to look in a different direction, Mariku paused when he saw something move along the floor.

Curious and excited at yet another thing that was different from the bleak black void, Mariku narrowed his eyes at the thing and stepped tentatively towards it, trying not to make any sudden moves in case it would try to leave. But when it did not move, he took another step, and crouched down to try and see what it was.

It looked like something that resembled a sort of thick tentacle, a part of a duel monster, maybe, dark red. Squinting his eyes to try and make out more of it, Mariku saw that the rest of its…body?, disappeared into the blackness, reasoning that what he could see must only be the tip. It lied still, almost as if it was dead, but Mariku knew better. He had saw it move, after all. Where did it come from? What did the rest of it look like? Was it really part of a duel monster? Frowning at his questions but then smiling after, Mariku reached out to touch it. Maybe it wasn't that smart, but nothing here could hurt him, anyway.

Once his hand was only an inch from it, he moved slower, cautiously touching it with the flat palm of his hand. Right when his skin made contact with it, the tentacle moved suddenly, jerking forward towards him, making Mariku rear back in surprise. It was all so fast and sudden, and his eyes stayed wide, heart beating faster. Trying to calm his breath, Mariku looked around for it, hoping that it had not left, leaving him again alone with boredom. Twisting his head to look around, he jumped again when he felt something slide against his cheek, and Mariku smiled. It was good to know that it was not scared of him, maybe it was just surprised at him touching it so suddenly. Reaching up to run his hand along it, the tip of the tentacle curled around his neck gently, mimicking how a constrictor might catch its prey. But he wasn't worried, it wouldn't hurt him, after all. Mariku doubted that he could die here.

As it moved around him, the tentacle slid against his skin, and was Mariku surprised that its texture felt so smooth. Reaching out to wrap both his hands around it, it jerked back suddenly, retracing its path around him until it was completely off of his body. Making a noise of disappointment, Mariku reached out to grab it to keep it, not wanting it to leave him, but it was once again out of his eyesight. Twisting to try and find it, he was relieved when it was back in the place where he had first seen it, only the tip of it visible. Walking over to it to touch it again, Mariku paused when something slid around his leg. Looking down, he was surprised to see another tentacle, more pinkish then the last, curling around his leg. There were more?

A bit apprehensive, the feeling was gone when he touched the one on his leg, it moving into his hand and curling around his wrist. This one was more thick then the last, and it stayed with him longer as he touched the first one he had seen. There were two, now and they traveled around his body. Fascinated by the feeling of them on his skin and fascinated when he saw how far they stretched back into the darkness, Mariku was glad that they had come and taken him out of boredom.

They wound all around him, up his arms, down his legs, around his neck, looping around his waist. Holding the more pink one in his hand, the tentacles weren't very heavy, and he was reminded again how similar they were to a type of constrictor snake both in weight and habit. How strong were they? Where did the rest of the tentacles lead? Looking to the side at the dark red one, he could still see nothing more of it as it stretched into the blackness. But still, it was long. It was much longer then him, twenty feet at the shortest, and Mariku felt a little prickle of fear. …Could it kill him? Could he _really_ not die in this place if it planned on attacking him? Mariku didn't know… and he had to live, above all else, so that one day, he could take the body over again and live in the light like he deserved.

Making a protesting noise, Mariku reached to pull the tentacle off when it wrapped around his neck again, not liking how it touched him anymore. When it did not budge, Mariku suppressed his fear and let himself become angry like he had been prone to being in the Battle City Finals. Growling, he jerked at it again, frustrated when it stayed still, not able to make it move no matter how hard he pulled. Just like a constrictor. Nervousness starting to get the better of him, Mariku gasped when he tried to dig his nails into it, the thick pink one tightened around his waist. Had…he made it mad?

"I don't want to play anymore." Because that's what the tentacles had been doing with him, playing, just playing, and he didn't feel like he wanted to anymore.

As he spoke, the one around his waist tightened more, squeezing him just a bit too tight, almost as if it understood his words. Becoming more fearful and more angry, he tried to reach around himself to try and pull the tentacles off of him by the back where they were not touching him. Growling as he tugged, his angry objection became a shock of fear when… yet another tentacle appeared, this time thinner with an orange tint, and wrapped around both his wrists, slack at first, like a rope, then going suddenly taught.

"Ah-" Trying to jerk his hands out of the tentacle that wrapped around him, restraining him, Mariku began to feel the unnatural emotion of fear. He wanted them to leave, now. Continuing to jerk himself in an attempt to get away, Mariku was horrified when a fourth came into his view, wrapping around his waist as well, this time sliding up a bit under his shirt. Breathing heavy and his heart thudding in his chest, Mariku wished for something to save him as they began to drag him backwards into the darkness.

His eyes wide, Mariku was confused. What did they want with him? Where were they taking him? …If they were taking him somewhere, that meant that there was somewhere _to_ go, and that the world was not just a dimensionless void. And then there were more. As they continued to drag him, he could see more tentacles come into his view. And they were everywhere. Up, down, left, right… thousands, millions of them, all thick and reddish. This wasn't a duel monster. And…Mariku wasn't sure what it was. The air felt heavy as they continued to drag him, and it was hard to breath.

The water.

He remembered the water.

The tentacles had been there! They had tried to kill him! Awakened with a new sense of horror, Mariku kicked his legs desperately to get them off of him, terrified of what they planned on doing with him. Eat him? Then…there had to be a mouth, a body. It was going to kill him! He didn't want to die! This…this was not the same place where his banishment had been. These _things_ had taken him somewhere else. This place couldn't still be in his mind. Squeezing his eyes shut, Mariku felt sick, not knowing what to do with himself. And he couldn't do anything. His limbs were taken hostage.

His eyes closed, Mariku gasped in shock when he felt himself falling again, the tentacles gone suddenly from around him. Landing with an 'umphf', Mariku opened his eyes and quickly got to his hands and knees, forcing himself to stand up. Breathing erratic, his eyes darted around fearfully, not knowing where he was or where the tentacles had gone. Mariku was scared of being scared, he had never been scared before, not even when Malik had tried to kill him. At least then, he knew he wouldn't die. He wasn't so sure now. Wanting to run as far away in one direction as possible, Mariku froze when he saw a tentacle laying still on the edge of his point of vision just like how he had first seen it.

Frozen with fear, he stared at it, scared to move and alert it to his being. But he had to move, he had to get away. Gulping, he kept his eyes on it, and slowly stepped back, watching so that he wasn't too sudden. But when he stepped back a second time, the tentacle twitched, and he lost it. That one small move from it set him off, and he pivoted on his heel and began running as fast as he could in the opposite direction, terrified of it coming after him. Looking back to see if it was following him, Mariku cried out in shock when he ran into something, knocking him backwards. Having fallen down, he winced and looked up to see what he had run into, heart going cold when he saw a tentacle as thick as he was blocking his path.

Again frozen with fear, Mariku didn't dare to move like he had done before. They had no eyes. Maybe…if he kept as still as possible, it wouldn't notice him. But he had run into it, and he had surprised it as well. Choking on his own breath, Mariku forced himself to stay still and calm his shaking as it very slowly searched around on the floor for whatever had run into it. Biting onto his bottom lip to keep from screaming, Mariku could only watch as it slithered along the floor, closer and closer to him. Maybe it could feel his heat. Choking back on a sob, the tentacle rubbed up against his arm, and it paused, moving back to inspect what it had found. He was terrified as it curled underneath him, lifting him up so that he rested on it, praying that it would just see him as some sort of junk, and not what it was after.

It moved above him, the tip of the tentacle, and came down to run over the whole front his body, finding extra interest in his legs, wrapping around them. Mariku clenched his teeth shut, grinding them together to keep himself from making any noise. He had to move, though, he had to get away. And once the tentacle moved off of his legs, he bolted again. But when he did so, he had kicked it in escape, and it realized that it had been holding him the entire time.

Screaming when it moved after him and tried to pull him back, Mariku felt a rush of adrenaline and ran as fast as he could, knowing that he very well might be running for his life. Taken by surprise again, Mariku had run for a long while when he bumped into something else. But when he could see nothing blocking his way, he ran his hands over it in front of him, knowing he had to find a way around it fast since the tentacle was still behind him. Running his hand along whatever it was, Mariku moved to the left, and was confused when it connected to another thing just like it, creating a ninety degree angle. It felt like the corner of a roo-

He was trapped.

The tentacles had dumped him into a cage.

His blood ran cold at this idea, and his mind wasn't able to grasp it, refusing to understand that he was trapped, and that there was no way out. It was going to kill him. Shakily, Mariku walked slowly next to the wall, trying to find an opening as he stared with wide eyes in front of him. Terrified, he was terrified. It had all happened so soon, too. He didn't know what to make of it…

And Mariku didn't know to be surprised or not when there was suddenly another tentacle in front of him. He stared at it, once again freezing up, and when it moved toward him, he darted. But he had learned from experience that it was no good. The tentacles were smart and strong. Sobbing as it caught him, it wrapped around his waist like the second one he had seen had, and began pulling him back where he had been originally dumped into. He kicked his legs and beat his hands against it, tugging as hard as he could and screaming as loud as he could, too, but it did no good. He was so scared… How could he be scared? How could Mariku Ishtar be scared? He didn't want to die.

"Get off of me!" It was pointless to scream, but Mariku had no other way to be productive with his fear.

Everything seemed to happen to fast to be real. It had only been so short ago that he had first seen the tentacles, and now he was being pulled by one back to the center of the cage to be devoured. Was this reality? Mariku didn't know, but Mariku didn't have time to think as his mind was taken over by only one thing: 'I have to get away.' The animalistic part of himself was hysterical, unable to give up as he continued to claw and bite at the tentacle, even if it did nothing other then make it tighten harder around him.

It pulled him for a short period of time, time passing too quickly as he desperately fought against it, before he felt it loosen around him. Terrified at what that meant, he clung onto it suddenly when it tried to drop him. He didn't want to be eaten. And there would be no other reason for it to let go other then to prepare him to kill him. It seemed to understand as he clung onto him, about two feet off the ground, and moved the tip of itself up underneath his arms and pushed out, making him unable to hold on any longer and fall to the ground.

As soon as he hit the ground, Mariku froze temporarily before scrabbling back, hyperventilation adding to his hysteria. His nerves were frayed, the sudden and unnatural terror starting to eat at his mind. It wasn't as if he had ever felt true fear before, and he didn't know how to deal with it. What was he supposed to do, what was he supposed to do!? His question was answered for him as his back suddenly hit something flat. Turning his head quickly to the side, his eyes widened and he grit his teeth together to keep from screaming. Staring up, the tentacles had all fit together to form a wall, and as he jerked around to try and run again in the opposite direction, he found that he was trapped as they created a circle around him with no chance of escape.

"O-oh hell-" Mariku's words were cut off as he felt a tentacle wrap around his ankle from behind, jerking him back suddenly so that he was flipped over onto his stomach. It started to pull him, and he clawed at the flat, smooth ground in hope of any sort of niche that he could hold onto. But he found none, and the tentacle knew it. Continuing to pull him until he reached the center of the enclosed space, it began to pull him up, dangling him by his ankle. Terrified of it dropping him, Mariku screamed and twisted around, trying to pull himself up so that he could grab a hold of it. And once the tip of his fingers brushed the smooth tentacle, it dropped him from high up in the air. The feeling of falling building in his stomach, he squeezed his eyes shut in preparation for the inevitable contact with the ground, but gasped, the breath knocked out of him when the tentacle once again caught his ankle, jerking him to a weird angle as he heard a snap, knowing that the bone had been broken. A sudden pain shooting throughout his leg, he refused to scream, biting his tongue until he felt it bleed.

He was stunned temporarily from the breath being knocked out of him, allowing the tentacle to move him higher up, swinging him a bit from his now broken ankle, which sent him incredible bouts of pain. As he dangled upside down, unable to do anything other then continue to bite his tongue, another tentacle joined the one holding him, switching to his other ankle as if it understood the tremendous pain it had put him in. He had trouble breathing as he gasped for breath, and he felt blood drip from his mouth when he coughed. As the shock of the sudden spare of death receded, he twitched his fingers, moving his arm a bit to hold his stomach and hold himself in a last sort of comfort before what he knew would inevitably be his death. But Mariku would not cry. He refused to cry. Even if he was going to be killed, he was still Mariku Ishtar. He would allow himself fear, but never anything so disgusting as tears. His front of unshakable hatred and inability to feel human emotions wouldn't change.

As the other tentacle unwound from his now broken ankle, it slithered down his body, wrapping around his arm where he held himself to pry it off of him. The sudden cruelty of them hit him hard; it wouldn't even allow him a last sense of comfort before death? It held his arm away from him for a while as if in a warning before moving back to him. Inspecting him and learning that what he wore could be taken off, it slithered under his shirt. The feeling _itself_ wasn't necessarily bad, but having something so dangerous touch his bare skin as it moved through the neck hole of his shirt was.

It moved around his neck, sliding underneath his hair and circling around until it held him in a sort of noose, nudging along his cheek near his mouth. And Mariku understood suddenly what it planned to do as one held his ankle above the ground and the other was wrapped around his neck only a split second before it let go. The tentacle holding him up let go without warning as he felt himself fall once again, waiting for the one around his neck to go taught and snap his neck like he knew it would. He was going to die. He was going to die, and there was nothing he could do about it. Mariku gave up.

But right before he knew the tentacle would hang him, incredible agony shot through his body, the pivoting point his right ankle as the tentacle caught him purposefully on the wrong leg. He couldn't help but scream, white hot pain taking his mind over as he felt it come in waves, quickening until they eventually slowed, his blood seeming to carry ever inch of pain he felt throughout his body. His ankle throbbed as he screamed, moving his arms to scream into his hands and pull his hair, trying in any way to cope with the agonizing torture.

The tentacle around his neck moved to touch his face, moving back and forth along his cheek as if trying to comfort him. But he knew it mocked him. They were the ones who had caused the pain, and they were the ones who were going to kill him. Not daring to look up and see the angle at which his foot was, Mariku kept his eyes closed as his heart beat so fast he felt as if it would explode. Switching to the other ankle, the tentacle seemed to think that he had felt enough pain, and began to pull him up higher again, making up for the space lost when he had fallen. Reaching about the high from which he had been before, Mariku felt sick, knowing what was about to come.

Keeping his eyes squeezed shut and his heart thudding with sickness and terror, he felt the apprehension and fear build with every second that went by that he was not dropped. The seconds layering on until they formed minutes, Mariku untensed slightly, wondering why he was not being dropped. Opening his eyes just a bit, that was what it had been waiting for, that moment of slight security, and it dropped him quickly again. Somewhat used to the terrifying feeling of falling, Mariku wasn't _as_ scared as he had been the first time, but the margin was small and the terror was still real. Reaching only ten feet above the ground, it caught him again, repeating the cycle as his overwhelming fear mounted, lifting him up and dropping him over and over. And all the while, he remained terrified. Because any time that he was dropped, that could be the time in which he would be hung. The knowledge of the unknown was what the truly terrifying part was.

Dropping him for the final time, Mariku anticipated it to catch him again, and was surprised when _many _did, lowering him to the floor. As they left him, his first instinct was to run, no matter what the repercussions. But as he tried to lift himself to his feet, Mariku was reminded sharply of his broken ankle when the searing pain jolted through his body. Collapsing instantly back onto the floor, he panted harshly, gasping for breath and trying to control the level of pain that he could feel. Helpless. He was so helpless… Continuing to lay in the spot that he was dropped on, Mariku curled up a bit, hiding his face in his hands. Even if there was nobody other then the tentacles there to see him, Mariku didn't want to show the world his helplessness and the despairing expression on his face. It made it all too real.

He stayed still, letting himself recover just a bit and his heart rate slow, if even only slightly. His breaths came in slower, forcing himself to calm down, knowing that he couldn't deal with the situation if he was hysterical. But still, the overwhelming facts kept him terrified, and he was far, far from 'relaxed.' The ground cold underneath him, Mariku wished desperately for the ability to feel boredom again. All he wanted to do was to sleep for a long, long time.

The temporary break from terror too good to last, Mariku despaired when he felt tentacles around him. More then one, there had to have been at least twenty as they traveled over his body. They touched him all over, sliding over his legs and back, moving underneath him to touch his chest. It was like they were petting him, and it wasn't incredibly terrible, since they had not begun to eat him yet, and made sure to steer clear of his broken ankle. Somewhat soothing from his earlier horrors, Mariku let himself be touched. The moved to his hair, rustling through it and moving to inspect the features of his face. Interested in his mouth, try tried to move through his lips, but Mariku kept his mouth shut tight, refusing them entry, tensing up a bit more. Growing bored with touching him, they left all together at once, and there was only one left that remained.

It was the pink one from earlier, the first one that he had seen, and Mariku opened his eyes to look at it warily, like a dog that knew it was as good as dead. Swaying back and forth before him like a cobra, Mariku guessed it to be the pseudo leader, alpha male, if it could be called that. Moving to touch his cheek and push up against his chin, it wrapped around his neck before sliding off and moving around him. His heart beat faster as the tip of it left his side of view, nervous from not being able to see what it was up to. As it moved past him, he kept his hands on it to reassure himself that if worst came to worst, he could at least… bite it.

Nothing happened for a bit, and it was silent, his heart not beating loud enough for the horrible tempo of fear to resume. Slumping his head down and closing his eyes once again, Mariku breathed heavily, feeling it curl around his right leg, the leg where his ankle was broken. And as it moved lower down his leg towards his foot, he twitched, a cold sweat coming on as he guessed as to what it planned on doing. But before he could pull away, it jerked down on his ankle, the familiar pain coming back as he screamed in agony, throwing his head back to let them hear what hell they were putting him through. Scrabbling at the floor, Mariku tried again to pull himself away, desperate in an attempt to save himself from pain, and to save his life.

He got maybe five feet away before he felt the rising feeling of terror in his chest when it touched his ankle to pull him back, tormenting his mind with the horrible stinging sensation. Jerking on him and irritating his broken bones, he wailed and beat his hands against the ground, knowing how pointless it was to try and pull himself away again when it stopped moving. But he had to. He had to save himself. Biting his tongue to keep from screaming and to keep the tears from spilling out of his eyes, he pushed himself into a kneeling position, his shoulders shaking from physical exertion. He was so pathetic as he tried to crawl, dragging his leg behind him to not hurt his ankle further. Getting farther then he had before, he sobbed when the tentacle once again pulled him back, this time on his good ankle.

The cycle repeated countless times as it had done so earlier. He would get farther away each time before he would be dragged back to the center of his hell. And the tentacle would periodically rotate. Sometimes, it would pull his good ankle. Other times, it would pull his broken ankle. And the terror of not knowing which would happen drove him insane, adding to his overwhelming pit of emotion and sickness. But he understood what it was doing to him. It was _playing _with him. Playing with him like a cat does with its prey before breaking its neck and devouring it. His body hurt all over, his mind the most as he struggled to pull himself away, a humiliating and desperate final attempt to save himself. But as he got fifty feet away and the tentacle pulled him back, Mariku collapsed and refused to move, breathing heavily, his body shaking.

He stayed still, no longer having the energy to move as he panted on the ground, pain washing over him in waves as his ankle throbbed and protested. But he couldn't do it anymore. He just couldn't do it. It was too much, and he had too little to live for, anyway. Even so, he wondered faintly why he, Mariku Ishtar, was lying so pathetically on the ground when he was seconds away from being killed. Shouldn't he be fighting back more? He had been a sadist, a demon, demented and twisted in the head as he lived through his reign of terror in Battle City. What had happened to him? Why was he so pathetic now? Was he even Mariku Ishtar anymore…? Shouldn't he be saving himself But… what was the point in trying to save himself when he had so little to live for? He truly did have nothing. Not even a body or a name for his own. And he couldn't delude himself from the truth: Mariku would never regain control of their body.

The tentacle grew annoyed with his pathetic behavior, learning after a couple of minutes that he would no longer get up to move. It nudged him in the side, but Mariku did not react and only continued to stay still. Nudging him harder, it was mad, then, as it learned that its play thing was no longer being interesting. Try to get him to move again, it poked at his ankle, but all that it earned it was a soft moan from Mariku's lips, unable to have even the strength to scream. He would deal with his suffering in quiet agony. But what it seemed to want above all else was entertainment, and it would do anything to get it. So silently, the tentacle left him, and Mariku was alone by himself, surrounded by what he could now call his enemies.

The feeling of being alone scared him, knowing that they were up to something, but not knowing what. Would this be when he would be eaten? Would they finally kill him now? He was left in silence to wonder over the questions, terrified to answer any of them, but knowing he would have to face the answers sooner than later. Which would… probably be 'sooner'.

Wanting to give in to the feeling of overwhelming despair and terrifying sadness, Mariku didn't move as he felt them all touching him again. It seemed that when they touched him at once, they were more gentle then when they touched him individually. Somehow, in an instinctual sort of way, Mariku knew that now he would be killed. And in a sense, he was okay with it. He didn't want to live anymore. He wanted to die, and when he was reborn, he wanted to have the life that he had been so cruelly denied from him.

Caressing the parts of his skin that were not clothed, the tentacles were gentle as they wrapped around his limbs and waist to turn him onto his back. Staring dully up at the endless void of blackness, Mariku squeezed his eyes shut suddenly when they discovered that his clothes could be removed. The tentacles toyed with the hem of his shirt, moving under it and sliding up so that the bottom of it cam up with them. Reaching above his chest, they seemed to be confused as to how to rid him of it then, and becoming impatient as they tried different ways and failing, they simply jerked up, ripping his shirt into halves.

Scared and nervous, Mariku forced himself to move his arms to remove the tentacles that were touching his now bare chest, but moaned when he felt others wrap around his wrists and pull his hands away. He struggled a bit, biting his bottom lip as fear crept into his mind, not liking the way that he was restrained. Even if he had come to terms with death, the still animalistic instinct to survive resided within him. Forced to keep still as the tentacles groped along him, he shivered as they touched the sensitive parts of his chest and stomach.

The feelings were light, ticklish as the tips of them explored his skin. He felt increasingly vulnerable as they moved across him, flicking across his nipples which made him hiss, and in return mad them do it again. Entertainment, after all. The ones near his legs grew restless, shifting back and forth as if they would touch him in turns. It made him feel sick. He didn't want them to touch him. Why were they touching him when they would be killing him shortly, anyway?

Shifting a bit, Mariku regretted it when he nudged his ankle, and whimpered lowly at the horrible aching torture of pain. The tentacles paused when he did this. Resuming their soft touches, the ones near his legs began to move as well. They slid around his legs and up his thighs. Also interested in clothing, his belt was an obstacle for them as they tried to move down his pants. He kept it on tight. Some near his feet moved up through his pant leg, making Mariku squirm at the odd feeling of their leather-like texture. He didn't know what they were doing or why. All he could do, and was forced to do, was endure it. And he would take it silently.

Figuring out the mechanics of the buckle, it took awkward maneuvering before the belt was undone. And as soon as it was, the tentacles moved down his pants, making Mariku's breath catch in his throat. What were they-…? But they didn't slide against anything _important,_ only touched his legs and the lower part of his abdomen. They moved without any seeming purpose other then just to touch. No reason, no destination. Just the simple feeling of Mariku's skin.

Minutes stretched and time passed slowly. Mariku had leaned his head back and closed his eyes, his fingers twitching a bit at the awkward angle his arms had been forced into. Breathing slowly but heavily, he was calm. He could relax just a bit when nothing was hurting. But the tentacles wanted _more_, _entertainment_, not prey that laid back and accepted its fate. And so itching for resistance, they began to do what Mariku had been fearing, and began to pull his pants down his hips.

His eyes widened suddenly, craning his neck to look down and kicking up with his good leg to try, in anyway, to save himself. But his head was forced back as a tentacle wrapped around his neck, not allowing him to watch as his was stripped naked. Screaming, Mariku thrashed as much as he could, heart beating faster. What were they going to do to him!? Feeling the fabric of his pants slide down until they hit his ankles, he screamed once again from the intense agony as his ankle was moved and his shoes were removed along with his pants and underwear. Completely naked, Mariku could only think about the pain, not the degradation and humiliation of being vulnerable. His eyes squeezed shut, he grit his teeth as his ankle continued to throb. He wouldn't scream. He would die quietly and without a fuss.

Forcing himself to calm, the tentacles resumed their calming touches. They moved across him in a manner that resembled petting. Stroking his skin, they liked to touch the inside of his thighs where his skin was more sensitive and he would whimper and shiver when they did so. The one around his neck was thin and it probed at his mouth and traced his lips. Unsettled and terrified, Mariku tried to focuss on the movements of the tentacles rather then the throbbing pain of his ankle, although thinking only of the sliding appendages heightened his terror.

It was like they were memorizing his body, because he was sure they could not see. They laid out their path with touch. And once they had touched every part of his body, something seemed to change. They went still, done with their inspection, and the ones around his limbs tightened and were completely stiff. His heart pounding in his chest, Mariku opened his eyes to see why they had stopped, and was unsurprised when the original pink one was in front of him once again. It swayed in front of him like it had done before, Mariku being reminded of the constictor it closely resembled, ready to strike.

Morbidly entranced by its movements, Mariku gasped but did not take his eyes from it as the tentacles around his legs moved so that his bottom half was lifted up slightly. His hips were lifted at an angle, and he felt a degree of humiliation at knowing how naked he was and how he was being displayed. Twisting suddenly to get away in a last final attempt to save himself, Mariku's muscles relaxed instantly when he realized that he would be getting no where. It was completely useless to try and resist. But still… he would try. Would it kill him now?

The original moved towards him as his legs were spread. He felt more of the tentacles come up to wind around his legs, stroking and petting and touching his skin, but leaving his thighs bare. He squeezed his eyes shut when his legs were parted. But the pink one did not seem to like that, and the one around his neck tightened warningly, making him gasp and open his eyes once again. Transfixed, Mariku was still as he felt something slide against the inside of his thigh, staring desperately at the pink tentacle. He knew that it understood.

He was terrified when the something that touched his inner thigh moved higher. Was it another tentacle? It seemed too thin to be. The others were much thicker. Trying to lift his head again and being unsuccessful as he did so, Mariku growled, but it was less than intimidating. Shifting and twisting again, he froze suddenly as the tendril flicked across something intimate to him. His breath caught in his throat.

"…Don't do it." He moved his lips slowly, the words coming out in a sort of slur. But he _knew_ that they understood. The tentacle did not stop and continued to move towards and along his skin, tracing the folds his most intimate parts. "I don't know what the fuck you want, but don't do it." Would they really do it?

His words were ignored and the inspection continued until it seemed like the thin tentacle was sure what his vagina was. Growing a bit hysterical, his hyperventilation returned as it pushed in just a tiny bit, continuing to trace up and down. The pink tentacle didn't seem to like this, and it nudged against his cheek, as if trying to make him put attention on it, instead of the one near his lower half. And without warning other then a slight tighten around his limbs, the thin one entered him suddenly.

Mariku's eyes went wide as he gasped, it not exactly _hurting_, but the sheer unknown feeling and degradation of it being more then enough. It moved in him, the feeling of something sliding within him somewhat disgusting, but it was thin enough that it didn't hurt, only uncomfortable. Shifting to try and rid himself of the thing, it left briefly only to push back in, making him hiss, this time hurting a bit. His face heat up, humiliated, and desperate to not show the small amount of pleasure that he felt as it moved in him. It wasn't supposed to feel good! It was supposed to be killing him!

But the tentacles were smart and seemed to guess at his pleasure, pushing in harder when it drew away again, brushing up hard against the side of his inner walls. He wanted it at least to hurt so that he didn't feel so bad about it feeling good. But it didn't, and it made him horrified at himself.

A particular angle at which the small tentacle moved, and Mariku gasped suddenly, his eyes going wide as something was brushed up against that felt _very_ good. He felt his body and face heat up just a bit, and he screamed at the intrusion. Thrashing back and forth as much as he could, he protested against the pleasure that he felt. Why couldn't it just kill him!? Trembling after he slumped back, he stared in hatred at the pink tentacle as the other thrust in and out of him, continuing to rub against that spot that made him so hot.

Gritting his teeth in hatred and fear when another small one joined it, he refused to vocalize a moan when the new one rubbed against his clit. Instead, he opted to squeeze his eyes shut, refusing to open them even when the one around his neck tightened slightly. Stubborn and terrified against the horrible pleasure building within him, Mariku whimpered softly as it sped up a bit, horrified that he had grown wet and that it was easier to move within him now that it was lubricated. It felt like an itch that needed to be touched as it continued to pleasure him and he hated it with everything he was. What was wrong with him?

His legs felt shaky as the itch to be touched grew and as his clit was rubbed. Everything seemed to slur just a bit, and he moved his head from side to side, making small noises in protest. Something seemed to be building up within him, the thing that made him a bit delirious and unable to remember just what sort of situation that he was in. Jerking his hips up to meet the thin tendril, it left him without warning, and he gasped when it did so, the one rubbing against his clit leaving as well.

Put off and humiliated that he missed them, Mariku untensed and panted, his face heating up again as he felt wetness between his legs. He had never felt anything like that before… Wondering if it would finally kill him now, Mariku warily watched as the pink one came into his view once again. But there was something different about it. A thick sort of creamy substance glistened on one half of it. Nervous as to what it was at first, he opened his eyes wide as he realized what it was.

"_Don't._" It hadn't been okay when the thin ones had pleasured him, but it had been bearable. But the pink one would not be bearable, and there would be no pleasure. The only thing it would be would be rape. Calculating him a bit when he spoke, it began to slither down to his hips, and Mariku panicked. "No! Don't! Just kill me now, please! Get the fuck away from me!" Reminded of how dangerous they were, his heart reached what he feared would be its breaking point as it beat within his chest.

_You shouldn't be scared._

Mariku froze instantly. Was he going insane from hearing things in his head? He almost laughed at the question.

_You're not going to die._

"Wh-What? What… the hell is this?" He spoke out loud, confusion adding to his terror. The statement of sparing him didn't add to anything other then his despair, either. Why couldn't he just die? He wanted to die so badly…

_Malik sent us to punish you subconsciously. But don't worry. We won't kill you. Just relax, and it won't hurt any more then it should._

Malik… Hadn't Malik punished himself enough? Mariku grit his teeth together, feeling angry and slighted. Mariku didn't deserve any more punishment. "'We'? _You_!?" Maybe he really was insane as people had told him and as he had thought. Even the tentacles could talk to him now… But it wasn't a physical voice. It was more just like thoughts in his head.

It didn't reply, and continued to move down until it was positioned against him, and Mariku screamed again, making a mistake and trying to kick, which jolted his ankle and increased his screams and agony. The torment receding a bit as he shuddered and twitched with pain, Mariku whimpered, feeling completely helpless. Who was he that he couldn't even defend himself? Rubbing against him, Mariku inhaled sharply, squeezing his eyes shut as the tentacles pulled his legs apart wider.

_Don't worry. It seems that Malik isn't as vengeful anymore. The punishment will be fast, and it will feel good after a while._

Despairing, Mariku kept the promise to himself not to cry as it slowly pushed into him.

He felt like he was tearing apart, the pleasure he had felt before with the small ones now completely eradicated as he screamed in agony, feeling worse then his ankle when it was hit. It was unbearably thick, and he had never had anything before that had entered him despite the tentacles earlier. Moving in slowly, it only added to the torture, Mariku wishing it would just hurry up and thrust in and get it over with. Continuing to scream, he smelled something distinctly metallic, and knew that the new dripping wetness was blood from his virginity being taken so cruelly. Sobbing as it stopped, the only sound was his pained noises.

Everything hurt all over, the excruciating pain numbing his mind. Misery pooling together in his mind, he sobbed when the tentacle moved back out, heightening his torture, and screamed when it moved back in. He tried to curl up a bit at his middle, parting his thighs, and biting his lip. Anything to lessen the pain and to keep his vocalizations at bay. And while he suffered from the movements of the tentacle, the free ones came back to touch him.

Always gentle, they tried to comfort him in a mocking way as they stroked his skin and touched his face. But he didn't want their sympathy and growled at them through his whimpers when they got too near his mouth. Seeming to be angry at his refusal of their comfort, the tentacle defiling him thrust in particularly hard, making him throw back his head and scream. And as he did so, one took advantage of his open mouth and pushed into it, making him choke. He was humiliated as well as used. Trying to bite down, the pink one thrust in hard again, and the regretted it, his screams muffled by the tentacle in his mouth as it moved in and out.

Given no mercy as he continued to be thrust into, Mariku desperately fanatised about his death wish, thinking about how it would feel like as he was rocked into over and over. It would feel like nothing and nothing felt better then this. The blood having made it a bit easier, the pain the tentacle caused was a bit less, and Mariku felt the tiny bit of pleasure resurface as it pulled out, brushing against that place that made everything okay. Whimpering as it did so, the tentacles knew what his whispers meant, and rubbed up against it when it thrust back in again.

The pleasure wasn't as distinct as it had been before, the overwhelming feeling still being pain, but he felt it none the less, the sort of itch coming back as his face heat up. And there had to be something wrong with him. There was no way that he could allow himself to let it feel good. But it _did_ start to feel good and nothing he could do could stop it. He wasn't the one or _thing_ in control.

Refusing to be vocal as the pleasure built and the thrusts increased, the one in his mouth released suddenly. It wasn't semen or any sort of _human_orgasm, but the same sort of creamy white substance that had covered it earlier. Still positioned in his mouth and no way to spit, Mariku was forced to swallow, and was degraded as he did so, making an expression of disgust. But his attention was back onto the one fucking him as it sped up. Although it hurt his pride and himself as a whole to show the pleasure he felt, it hurt to close his mouth and move his jaw after being forced open for so long, and so he could do little else but moan as he was moved against over and over again.

It was making him delirious, and his eyes rolled up a bit before squeezing them shut. His thighs trembled as they were kept held in the air. Tentacles resuming their touches, everything was pronounced as the tentacle between his legs lost rhythm and became erratic. And as the pain increased, so did the pleasure as Mariku found himself unable to hold back the noises. He screamed and moaned and whimpered and despaired all at once. It was horrible and wonderful at the same time. How could he enjoy this rape? Maybe that was the punishment that Malik had in store for him. Maybe it wasn't the physical torture, but the mental.

Mariku could tell when the tentacle started to reach its ending point. It seemed to grow a bit thicker, making him scream in agony from the already unbearable point of being stretched to being stretched farther. But the pain left almost too quickly for his likes, and the thickness added to the feeling of pleasure as it moved in and out of him erratically. And Mariku felt his own ending point, too. His muscles began to clench up, and his world was nothing other then the pleasure and small bit of pain. On the brink of orgasm, the tentacle twisted his ankle, and Mariku came directly afterwards.

His climax was a wave of white, searing hot just like the agonizing and unbearable torture had been, and maybe it was because of it as well. The pain and intense euphoria of orgasm mingled together, and Mariku faintly felt the tentacle cum inside of him, understanding that as his ankle had been twisted, he had clenched down upon it tighter to heighten its own orgasm. Numb from everything else but the feeling of complete ecstasy, his mouth was open a bit and he breathed with shallow breaths.

The tentacles were moving around him, some leaving and others wrapping around him completely. It was as if now that the deed had been done, they seemed to think that they had complete control over his body to do with as they wished. Mariku wondered faintly if they would finally kill him then. But all they did was touch and stroke and caress. There was no harming involved, not even on his ankle.

The haze of orgasm starting to drift away, Mariku felt heavy. But in the dimensional-less void, there were no laws of the universe, so there was no particular gravity. Moving his hand against the top of the many tentacles below him, he opened his eyes only slightly to see the pink one that had caught and raped him in front of him. If it had eyes, Mariku guessed that it would be looking at him. But instead it only remained motionless, unnerving him that it 'looked' at him so long. Humiliated at the realization of what had happened, Mariku was too tired to hide his face.

_Keep, keep._

There was more then just one voice inside his head as the tentacles stirred all around him. They seemed to be happy as they all pushed and nudged against him, all trying to touch a bit of his skin.

_Keep, keep. Let's keep this one._

They chanted it over and over again, but nothing changed, and Mariku didn't know what it meant. He couldn't think clearly anyway. The pink one was still, and he knew that its decision would be the ultimate deciding factor. Still staying still, Mariku's gut clenched with fear as the voice inside his head that held its tone replied, and he knew what exactly what they wanted to 'keep.'

_Okay. Let's keep this Maliku Ishtar._

Unable to help himself, all he could do was stare dully as his original tormentor moved to wrap around either side of his head. The tentacles below his head parting, he knew faintly what they were going to do. His limbs were restrained suddenly, and there was no way to save himself as it slammed his head against the bottom of the floor, knocking him unconscious.

**I'm like one of those dancing monkeys with cymbals in their hands. Throw me some change and reviews into my little red hat, please.**


	3. Chapter o3

…**Eee hee. I take almost a year to update and then it's short and stuff. Uh- go read my other fics if you want regular updates. Also I drew epic art for this, which is on my profile. Shameless self advertisement. UHM HUM. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE MY INTRO AUTHOR'S COMMENTS. BUT REALLY IT'S JUST CRAP. Okay, read.**

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_What will you do, Mariku Ishtar, when everything you had previously thought to be yours, was not?_

_What will you do, Mariku Ishtar, when you fully understand that you are nothing?_

_What will you do, Mariku Ishtar, if you ever do become something?_

_What will you do, Mariku Ishtar, when you realize that you are nothing and you don't even own your own name?_

_The word for nothing, the absence of existence, is Nothingness._

_Not Mariku Ishtar._

_--_

Mariku didn't know much. After all, he had only been alive for six years, and had only truly lived for one day. One day of tangible life, where he could reach out his hands and touch the world around him. One day. He was denied knowledge, and the bit of it he could find came in short and small quantities. A platter presented before him, yet he was only given a small sample. So what he to do with this new light?

Light was tangible.

Feeling was tangible.

Breathing, looking, living-

Was this life?

Mariku didn't know, it was far too surreal. The light blinded him from living in complete darkness for years and years. Light scared him. It was foreign. But this was different. Somehow, it was soothing. The light around him was benevolent. It was a room.

It was a simple room. It reminded him of a hospital room, from pictures he had seen from Malik's eyes. Pale blue, white, simple wallpaper. It smelled like anesthetic. But- why? Mariku didn't understand. He didn't understand a lot of things, why he was denied life, why he was the only one who felt pure hatred, but this he didn't understand at all. Why was he here?

But the answer was simple, and the answer made him freeze inside. It made him stiffen and made his stomach churn.

Malik.

Malik?

Malik was here. Right there. Right in front of him. Sitting on the rail of the bed at the bottom of his feet. Just- sitting there. Smiling. Malik. _Malik._

Malik smiled and his eyes narrowed.

"I thought you would never wake up. It was no fun with you asleep."

He didn't know what to do, how to react, how to feel. He felt hatred and pain. He felt like he wanted to kill him, wanted to snap his neck and crush his fingers and break his spine, and take care of him, just as he had wanted to do in the beginning. He hated him so much. That was what he felt. But- what was there to say?

Seconds dragged on, and Mariku said nothing. Malik frowned, and tightened his hands on the rail.

"Are you sick?"

…What? What? Was he stupid? This was surreal, absolutely surreal… Mariku didn't know why he was here.

"No." His voice was low, forced out, and wary. Time had stripped away his self confidence; he was weaker then Malik. Malik could kill him. In time, in physical power, Mariku would be stronger then him, but not now, not when Malik owned their mind.

Malik moved his head to the side, and made a questioning face. It was- odd. Malik did not act this way. It was- childish. And his eyes were different. His pupils were longer and narrower. It reminded him of a cat. Mariku was confused.

"What's wrong, then? Why aren't you talking? Why aren't you moving? I thought I did what you're supposed to do to take care of someone who's sick. I didn't mean to mess up. I thought I did a good job. I don't want you hurt?"

His head remained tilted, and he fidgeted. It _was_ childish. And it was strange. This- this was not Malik. Mariku narrowed his eyes, studying him. It was Malik's body, his body. It was his voice. But, if it was not Malik, then, who-

"Who are you?"

"Oh." Their eyes went wider, and he could see the slit pupils better. They sat more upright. "Oh." They giggled, and it literally sent shivers down Mariku's arms. It was strange and malevolent. Blinking and looking up, their eyes narrowed again. "Oh, you know me. I took care after you after I hurt you. I'm sorry, I didn't mean too. I didn't want you to escape. You're pretty, you know, and fun. I never get to play with anybody. And Malik wouldn't ever make me up someone else to play with. You're all I have. We like you, a lot. You know me. We'll get to know each other a lot more after now."

Again, the pit of dread returned to Mariku's stomach. Surreal, surreal. This was surrealism. This was terrifying images and automatist ideas. This reality was warped, bent. It was everything Mariku was at his core, but he did not belong. He did not belong here with this… _creature _with his stolen face.

"No." Mariku's face remained cold. He would not show weakness in the literal face of his enemy. And most of all, he would not stay here in it's grasp.

"No…what?" Naivety. This was not Malik, this was the monster. The one who had done horrible, horrible things to him. The one who acted like a child.

"No. I'm not staying here. I'm not going to let myself die again with you." Because Mariku did not know much. But he had instinct. He had the natural knowledge to _stay. Alive._ And he would die here if he stayed with this monster.

So he didn't think. He didn't plan, make elaborate musings like he used to. He moved on instinct, tried to get up and leave, and forced his legs over the edge of the bed. But once he swung his left leg over the side of the mattress, a sharp pain shot up though his body. A sharp, stinging, unbelievable pain, and he couldn't keep it inside. He squeezed his eyes shut. And screamed.

"No!" It was the monster's voice, and he immediately heard him run over and grab him. They lifted him back onto the bed, although he continued to scream. Oh, he remembered… they had broken his ankle.

"No, no, don't move, don't do that. Please don't do that, you'll hurt yourself, and then you won't be fun. Just lay down, just be still, okay?"

Their touch differed so much from their earlier treatment of his body. That horrible experience… It terrified him. For the second time in his life, he had thought he was going to die then. And then there were more then just two hands on him. Or not. They were hands, they were appendages. Smooth, long appendages that wrapped around his ankle and middle and kept him still. Not hands, not arms. Tentacles.

Mariku's eyes remained closed, and he breathed heavily. It didn't hurt so much anymore, but he was scared. And he admitted it. Mariku was not meant to feel fear, but this was something beyond him. With Malik, all it took was time and waiting before he could over throw him and take their body. With life, it was cards and strategy to achieve fear and power. But this… He was helpless against this. He had no power left, and he had no time. He was trapped. A prisoner, and he held no threat against the monster.

"Don't open your eyes. I don't want to scare you."

It was their voice, Malik's voice, his voice. He felt hands on his face, and the tentacles shifted around him. Malik's skin, their skin, his skin was soft against his own. It was just a bit calming. Mariku was never touched, let alone gently.

"Why did you steal my body." It wasn't a question. Mariku felt somehow too exhausted to ask questions.

A pause. "Because it's the only one I know. I've never seen anyone other then you. Your body is the only body I know. I want to be with you in this body, Malik's body, not with my normal one. You don't like that one… But I'm still me, you just see me as Malik's body. I still have my own parts." It emphasized it's point by slithering one of it's tentacles against his side. It made him feel sick. But Mariku wanted answers to this surreal world. He continued.

"Where is this. Why am I here."

Another pause. "I made this place myself. You're lucky, Mariku, you can look through Malik's eyes. But I've been deprived of everything. I have knowledge, but I have never seen the outside world. I don't mind, though. I made this place from Malik's knowledge of the real world. And because I hurt you. I didn't mean to, you know, but I couldn't let you escape. So I made this place, what Malik knows as a hospital, to make you better."

"…Who are you."

It was the longest pause, and Mariku wasn't sure if he was ever going to reply or not.

"I- I don't know. I came from Malik, his hatred, but I'm not like you. You're real, I'm not. I'm just information, Malik's imagination. There's Malik's hatred, and then there's you. But I'm a different person, a different being, but I'm not real. I'm not sure what I am, or what I'm doing here, or what I _should_ be doing. He wanted me to punish you, that, I know. All I am is lonely, but, I don't even know if I'm lonely or not. Because you have to be real to have feelings, you know?"

Something within Mariku churned. He had always battled with himself, tormented himself over his existence. Who was he? Was he even real at all, or just a figment of his own imagination? But their words were true… He did feel. He felt so much, a mirage of feelings. A coded block of emotion. And he was conscious. Mariku's mind hurt. It was too much to think about, but something he knew he would have to deal with eventually. But what was the proverbial future when he was in a place that seemed to be separated from time?

"Why are you keeping me here."

"I told you. I'm lonely." That, they answered fast and enthusiastically. "I want to play with you. I want to have fun. I've waited a long time to have someone. We're so bored. There was nothing ever to do. But now we have you and we can do things and go places and make up people and towns and lives and-"

"We?"

"Oh." They stopped, and slowed down after realizing that they had gotten too ahead of themselves. "It's all of us, not just me. I'm lots of different ones of us. I'm just the leader, I guess you could say. But I can hear what each one of us is saying. They like you, we've agreed on that. We're going to keep you. I'm the collective conscious of what Malik uses the word 'tentacles' to call us. The rest of the tentacles aren't as smart as me, that's why I'm the only one that can talk. But every one of us that you feel on you is separate. They're telling me they like you. They want you to know that they want to be friends."

Mariku's insides went cold once again. He didn't know what he had gotten himself into. Or- what Malik had thought up to punish him. But they had said Malik had created them subconsciously, right? Was his blame so easy to pin on them, then, when they truly had done nothing wrong? Mariku thought so. It was easy to blame other people. But he was scared, and he was mad. He would never gain control of Malik's body if he was this thing's- _pet._

"So… that's what you call it, then, huh?" His voice was low and cold. He was angry. Hatred was something Mariku was familiar with. "Friendship? You want to be _friends_ with me? You've kidnapped me from Nowhere and tortured me and hurt me and you want to be _friends!?_ Too bad, but I don't think so. You'll let me go, if you want to live. I will kill you. I will kill you like I will all the others! I am not going to be your pet that you can toy with!"

He squirmed, and opened his eyes. His fear showed through when he refused to look down, away from the monster's face. He didn't want to see how they could impersonate his body, and still have tentacles at the same time.

They seemed a bit shocked, and very hurt. They were probably not expecting him to resist. They were childish, after all. But their expression quickly grew angry, and their slit eyes narrowed like they first had.

"You will not. Leave." The tentacles tightened around his ankle, and he screamed in agony. It was still broken. "We will not let you go. You're going to stay here, and you're going to have fun with us and we're going to be together and you _will!_"

"God damnit, no! I'm not going to sit back and let you torture me again! I want to live! I am going to leave here and take my body back! And you will not stop me!"

"I said _no!_" Their face twisted horribly, a face of rage that Malik could not form on his face, only Mariku. He felt more tentacles on his body, and Mariku lost almost all of his anger. The only thing left was fear. Could this thing… eat him? It could kill him, it had that ability. He was at it's mercy, and he could easily die.

There were tentacles everywhere, underneath the sheets of the hospital bed the monster had created. Around his neck and up his arms and moving over every part of his body. They were mad, but seemed to calm down a bit after Mariku stopped struggling. But, the tentacles were still excited and active. Mariku was scared.

"Stop." His heart beat fast the more they moved over his neck.

He was given no reply. The monster only looked down at him calmly, with his mouth open slightly, like he was studying him. The tentacles grew more violent.

"Please, stop, I'm sorry." His voice grew a bit panicked when they didn't indeed stop. He felt himself becoming a bit short of breath. Finally, they replied.

"I can't. They want to touch you, that's what they want. You hurt their feelings, you know. You made them scared that you would leave, so they want to touch you now. It reassures them that you won't leave. I'm sorry, I can't stop them."

"W-what?" Mariku's voice wavered as they moved between his legs and across his thighs, concentrating around his hips. He was scared. He knew what would inevitably happen if the monster didn't stop them. And he didn't want it. It was just a continuing nightmare. "No!" He squirmed and thrashed when they started moving his legs apart.

"Calm down, they don't want you scared. It will be good, it was good before. You can't stop it, and neither can I. Just relax. You'll like it."

"No, damnit, no! Stop! Tell them to stop! I don't want it! I don't even know why I'm here!" He squeezed his eyes shut, and screamed, just wanting out. Away. Apart from the tentacles as small ones slithered just a bit into him. It felt odd and strange and foreign, just as they had before. And he was scared. He didn't want forced pleasure. He got pleasure from listening to his victim's screams, their sadness, and fear when he crushed them. Not this, not this.

Mariku moaned. There, there… they touched there, the small ones. _There._ And they just kept _pressing and pressing_ against him. Pushing up against that spot that they touched before that made his head hot and his mind fog up. It felt good, it did. But he didn't want it. He knew that this wasn't supposed to be forced. So Mariku screamed.

There were hands on his face again, then. The monster's hands. He heard them hum, and they touched his face over and over. Stroking and petting and so much different from the tentacles that were raping him.

"It feels good. For you, and me. See, it's not bad… You don't need to be scared. They don't want to hurt you, they won't hurt you. We want to be friends. We can have this whenever you want, if we can be friends. Don't you like it? I'd like it more if you like it. Tell me you like it. I like you…"

It was a strange feeling he felt then as the monster's horribly childish words pounded against his mind and the tentacles started moving in then quickly out of him. It was too much to feel at once, he decided, and that was a feeling within itself. His mind swam. His lower parts seemed to crave what it was doing to him. And he couldn't escape. It's mercy, it's mercy… He choked on his own breath when a larger tentacle entered him. He became scared again. It hurt. It was too big.

"Shh…" Their kindness confused him. How could they try and comfort him while he was being raped by the beings that they controlled…

It moved in and out. He didn't know how to explain it, or how to deal with it. It moved in and a wave of pleasure came with it, and seemed to only build, not wane when it moved out. But it was like that thing inside of him could not be satisfied, even though it hurt so bad. He wanted more, more, more of it, even though he was scared and being tortured. It seemed to fill him, and was smooth and moved in easy. He felt wet, and knew that the tentacles were secreting something out of them. It was disgusting. But he craved it.

Building, building, building. It moved harder and harder into him so that he rocked a bit backwards. The monster breathed heavy and continued touching him. He was reaching the summit, he knew. His thighs trembled, and he became vocal. Every time it rubbed against that thing inside of him, every time the thick one switched out for an even bigger one, he felt like he would die. It hurt and hurt but he couldn't separate the pleasure from the pain. It became a feeling within itself, just like before. Mariku himself was pleasure and pain. It was natural, and could only be felt like this.

"Mariku." It was his voice, Malik's voice, the monster's voice. "You didn't- tell me you liked it. Do you like it? They want to know. They want you to be happy." It's voice was breathy, and they seemed somehow needy. It really was childish…

Mariku didn't know what to say. He hated this thing, for what it did to him, had done to him, and would do to him. But somehow, he _didn't_ hate it. He pitied it. And maybe… he could use it's dedication to him to his advantage. Mariku decided then, on the verge of orgasm, that he would deceive this monster, and use it for all it was worth.

"Yes!" He almost screamed it, and his eyebrows furrowed. The tentacles all around him moved excitedly backwards as he urged them on. "Yes! I do! I do! I need it! I need more! I need it harder!" He almost laughed at the words that were coming out of his mouth. But truly, there was only one thing on his mind.

The monster exhaled loudly and leaned it's head against his shoulder, it's hands moving to his arms where they held onto him as the tentacles thrust into him with more force then he had thought they possessed that would not kill him. And then he felt it. It was like before, how he remembered when they _raped_ him for the first time. An overwhelming sensation that took him over, dunked him down beneath the surface where he could not breathe. He couldn't think, but he could feel. He felt it, he felt it all. That explosion. The tentacles. The monsters. The _feeling, emotion._ This- was real. Mariku felt _alive._

And he breathed. He felt like he was being lifted up, enlightened with some revolutionary idea that made him unable to think of what it really meant, only accept it. Accept the truth as orgasm took him over and the monster shook above him and the tentacles let go of the rest of that liquid.

It lasted a while, that overwhelming feeling, and then- ended. Like he was slowly coming back to the world of feeling after being numb for so long. And he felt himself breathing, and he felt the monster, and he felt the sticky liquid. It was cold and uncomfortable, but he did not feel tentacles. Somehow, they had left. Some time, somehow, without him realizing it, they were gone, and only the monster was there.

The monster was next to him, and Mariku said nothing. He didn't want to talk. He didn't want to say anything while his mind was in turmoil over what had just happened.

"They say thank you." The moment of silence was broken. Mariku hated them for it. But yet… he didn't. Mariku remained silent. The monster shifted on the bed. It had gotten bigger. This world was created by the monster, he must have had control over it… "They want you to know how grateful you are. They want to make you feel wonderful, special. You're all we've ever had."

Mariku said nothing. It was disturbing how the monster could be so childish after committing something with such mature weight. He jerked away when he felt it's hand touch him. He looked over at it, and it paused, looking hurt.

"We have a long time together, you know… It'll be better if you be friends with us now… We can play different things. I can look like someone else, if you want, if you just show me the body…"

Something inside Mariku twinged a bit. This was the only thing that had ever felt something besides hatred towards him, who treated him as a person who was not Malik. It did all of that for him, and he was going to take advantage of it's emotions. The least he could do, he supposed, was be kind to it. After all, all it had was him, and he would not be staying long.

"Namu."

"…What?" It looked back over at him. Innocent. Childish. With Malik's face, his face. Mariku felt blessed that it's pupils were slit, allowing him to distinguish it from himself physically, saving his psyche more torture.

"Namu. That's your name."

"…Isn't that the name that Malik made up during Battle City?" It played upset and curious, but Mariku saw the happiness behind it's poor disguise.

"I think it's fitting. It's what I'm going to call you now."

It smiled and seemed to be overtaken with joy. _Namu_ smiled. Mariku had never been shown kindness, and neither had the monster. The monster had never been treated _anything_ before. He was all it knew.

Mariku grit his teeth as it reached over to squeeze his hand. Hatred welled inside him, but he quelled it. The monster was his way out. He would have to cope with it's attraction to him. Playing along his new character of being it's friend, Mariku relaxed and forced a smile over at it.

In the back of his mind, he felt just a bit guilty.

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…**This is the only thing I've ever written that you can remotely call fluff, which is sad.**

**Review if you want a tentacle pet of your own. …Yeah, see? **_**Exactly.**_** I know your answer, so the review is obligatory!**


	4. Chapter o4

**I want this to be a very short multichapter fic. OH HAY, THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY. Also I like to rhyme.**

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Mariku wasn't sure if he liked this place more or less then the Nothingness. In the nothingness, there was black. No, a _lack_ of black, because black was a color, and there was no color. There was nothing in the nothingness. An absolute lack of everything. In the nothingness, Mariku belonged. Because who was he, really, other then Malik's repressed hatred?

_Here,_ though, it was different.

It was the world that the monster had created. It had said it had created the world from the knowledge it had stolen from Malik's mind. The monster was in control of this world, and it could change it to it's liking. And the world it had created was warm. There was sun (of course, artificial, since this was the Shadow realm- the back of Malik's mind- and not the real world) and a slight breeze. Mariku wondered how he managed that.

The world was modeled after what the monster said was 'Greek.' Mariku didn't know what 'Greek' was, but assumed it was the style of the high columns attached to open pavilions. There were plants, too. Lots and lots of plants. And water, a river. And _people._ The monster's ability to create people was the most disturbing. Although, the monster said that the people were not real, had no soul, only moved and walked, spoke and breathed.

'Just like me,' it had said.

And Mariku hated all of it. This was some sort of hell he had been forced into. He had been close to content in the Nothingness, because, at least there, he could plot of how he would reclaim control over Malik's body. Here, he could only sit and plan how he would kill the thing that had hut him. And he was _Mariku Ishtar!_ The pure fact that he had been beaten by the monster, no- _anything_, was humiliating. _He_ was the one who caused fear. With his ankle broken, though, it was a difficult thing to do. He didn't come across quite as threatening as he should have, which was only another thing that made him mad.

It liked to keep him in the hospital room, the monster. It had been very lonely before, it had said, so it jumped on the idea of having him around. This way, he could not leave, with his ankle broken. Though Mariku was starting to doubt that he could leave if he wanted to, anyway. After all, the world was created by the monster, and he had complete control over it. There was no where to run to. The only escape was the monster's death.

Today, though, it had let him outside. Or at least, into the part of it's world that resembled the outdoors. He had been with it for only three days, and Mariku studied it carefully. It's habits, mannerisms, way of thinking, and it seemed to grow bored easily. It wanted to go outside, but couldn't leave Mariku alone, so had brought him with it.

The monster had created crutches for him to use as it led him outside of the hospital. It made Mariku feel menial, and had ground his teeth together every time he used it to take a step. He created fantasies where he beat the monster to death with the crutches. It amused him greatly, and made the trip outside a lot better. The hospital was suffocating, after all.

There was a river in front of the hospital, with grass around it, and the monster had decided that this was where it wanted to stay. And so Mariku sat down on the marble steps and watched as Namu explored the world it had created.

That was it's name. Namu. Namu, the name Malik had come up with as a disguise for his true identity. Mariku found it quite fitting.

Mariku watched as the monster crouched down in the grass on the bank of the river, searching around for something Mariku could not see. It's behavior was disturbing, since it was, in almost every way, a child. Through it's speech patterns and imagination, there was no reason to say that it _wasn't_ a child apart from it's form of Malik's body, and the almost cruel intelligence that Mariku could see lurking behind it's slit pupils.

There was a definite sense of boredom, too, as Mariku continued to watch Namu play. A boredom different from that of the Nothingness. He felt very agitated in this world, anxious for _something._ Because there really was nothing to do, even though he was finally allowed something other just blackness. Usually Namu would talk to him, would sit on the far end of his hospital bed and babble away. That usually passed time, although Mariku often had to remind himself not to become annoyed and just punch him. He had to win his trust, after all, had to make sure he thought he wanted to be his 'friend'. Mariku hated that word.

Now, though, he had nothing other to do then to just sit and watch the monster. Mariku scowled, fiddling with a pebble that was sitting on the stairs next to him. How long would it take to gain Namu's trust? And how would he kill him? Where would he go from there? Once Namu was dead, would this world disappear and the Shadow Realm return to normal? Mariku tossed the pebble away, in front of him, watching as it bounced down the steps and landed in the grass. He sighed, leaning back and supporting himself with his forearms as he stared up at the fake sky.

He would kill him, oh yes. Perhaps by strangulation. Mariku liked that idea; mock the way that Namu's tentacles had wrapped around _him_. Though, there was no blood that way. Mariku didn't like that part. He wanted suffering, but he also wanted blood. Blood, blood, there always had to be blood. It gave him a feeling similar to that of a high, ever since he had cut off Malik's father's back. Oh, there had been blood then…

But how would he do it? It was a wonderful topic. He liked the idea of strangulation, but perhaps he would do something first. Cripple him as well, break both his legs, snapping the bone in every place he could, and cutting his skin so that the blood pooled beneath the surface would gush out in-

"Look, this is for you!"

Mariku recoiled in disgust as Namu suddenly came into his vision, having started to slip away during his day dream. He smiled at him, blocking the sun from his view as he dropped something into his lap. Mariku blinked, and looked down, confused.

He had caught a grasshopper, and had brought it to him like a cat brought it's owner gifts. Mariku scowled down at it as it made a move to jump. Catching it in one hand, he set it down on the marble step next to him, cupping his hand over it so it couldn't escape. Looking up at Namu's smiling face (no doubt feeling accomplished for catching him something), Mariku scowled and crushed the insect in his hand.

Namu's face instantly dropped, and he looked almost ready to cry as Mariku ground his hand against the marble, feeling the bug grind between the rock and his hand. It's insides were sticky between his fingers, but Mariku reveled in the feeling of murder, even if he had only killed something so small. It was the concept that he fell in love with more.

Once the bug was nothing more then green gloop, Mariku scraped his hand along the corner of the step, cleaning himself of the mess, never breaking contact with the monster. Namu continued to look back at him, seeming to be a bit lost. He sniffed, and sat down slowly next to him. Mariku narrowed his eyes.

"You- didn't like it? We caught it for you." He looked down at his lap, fiddling with his white shirt.

"Why would I want some fucking bug." He couldn't get mad, he couldn't get mad- oh _fuck_ Mariku just wanted to _kill_ him.

"I don't know- we-" Namu bit his lip, looking nervously to the side. Such a child. All he wanted was praise. "We just thought you'd like it."

"I'd like it better if my ankle wasn't still broken."

Namu looked nervous again, guilty. He turned his head to him, looking up at him with Malik's face. Mariku was once again taken aback by his unnerving eyes. Not that Mariku was really one to talk, though. Heliotrope, after all. But as Mariku looked back at him, his face suddenly lifted, and he smiled, as if completely forgetting that Mariku had killed his 'gift.'

"Oh! Oh I know something you'll like!" And the monster crouched down, getting on his hands and knees. Pausing, he looked up at Mariku who continued looking coldly down at him. "You have to kneel, too. You have to get down so you can see."

Mariku wavered. He didn't know what Namu was doing, or at least, what he planned on doing. Still, though, Mariku complied, and moved so that he sat next to him. He refused to kneel. Namu smiled, and Mariku reminded himself that he was doing this only to destroy him in the end.

"Watch." The monster glanced up at him briefly before looking back down at the marble steps. Mariku eyed him, but looked where his attention was focused.

For a while, there was nothing there. Just the stairs, and Mariku grew annoyed. But after a minute or two, there was a small crackling noise, and Mariku watched as the shapes of very miniscule buildings began to take place. His eyes widening as a small town grew in front of him, he looked over at Namu, who was staring down at the town with an expression of extreme concentration on his face.

So this was how he morphed the Shadow Realm to his will.

"Do you like it?" He said, excited, as he looked over to see Mariku's reaction to the scaled down version of a city.

Mariku said nothing in return as he continued to watch the city grow before him, tiny little things, the size of ants, going in and out of buildings. People. He had created people.

And then he was mad. Suddenly very angry, as hatred coursed through him. Namu was playing god, playing with the lives of people for his own entertainment. Using them as pawns for his own satisfaction. It made him mad, because Mariku was one of those pawns. He was puppeteered by fate as well, by Malik, who had created him for his own, selfish reasons, and then left him to rot.

"The fuck I do!" Mariku screamed, making a fist out of his hand as he made a move to crush the city, just as he had done to the grasshopper. Swinging his arm back, he was all too ready to kill Namu's creation, and the inhabitants inside, before he was stopped suddenly.

Namu's eyes were wide and pleading as he grabbed his arm, stopping him from killing the small city. Mariku swiveled towards him, grinding his teeth together as he tried pulling his arm away, and was confused when Namu's grip was stronger then his own strength. He had always been very strong, how could he be- Oh, right. Namu was not human. He was a _monster._

"Stop it, Mariku." His voice was oddly calm for the worried expression on his face. Mariku growled as he looked down at the people in the city, watching as they scurried away from the shadow of his fist.

"Get off of me!" He wanted to beat him to a bloody pulp. He hated him, he hated him, he _hated_ him. Mariku loved to hate.

"No, you're going to hurt them, just like you did with my other present. You try and hurt _everything._" Mariku's expression grew darker as he felt familiar _things_ wind around his arm, restraining him. Mariku hated the tentacles more then anything. "Why are you always so angry? Why do you hate everything?" Namu's hands were now free as he talked, the tentacles holding him still, instead.

"Be-" And he _was_ naïve, like a child. Why? Because hatred was what Mariku _was_. "Because I _can_. Because I HATE YOU, and I HATE this place, and I HATE Malik and I just want to _kill_ and _hurt_ and make things_ suffer._" Oops. Namu was not supposed to know that he hated him. Mariku had fucked that up.

"You need to calm down." It was a simple statement, and it, as well, made Mariku mad.

"Calm, CALM!? WHO THE _FUCK_ SAYS I NEED TO BE _CALM!?_ Do you even know who I _am, the terrors I've created!?_"

"But that's the only thing you have. And now, you can't do any of that." His childish guise dropped just a bit as Namu looked at him more seriously. Mariku struggled against the tentacles as the moved from just holding his wrist, to wrapping around his waist and thighs.

But it was true, wasn't it? What good would hatred do in this world that he was ruler over? Hatred got him nowhere. And without hatred, who was he? Without hatred, what did he have left? Still, though, feeling anything other then Malik's repressed anger was foreign. Mariku only had a select few emotions that he was capable of feeling.

"Why won't you be my friend?" Namu's head tilted slightly to the side, and he had scooted up much closer to him. "Why won't you be our friend?"

"I don't need friends. Why the hell would I be your _friend_ after what you did to me!?" _That_ was true. Mariku was a master of sadism, and the things that Namu had done to him were indeed sick. For some reason, though, they held no weight. Even though he had quite literally tortured him, Mariku could not see him as being malicious. Merely… lost. With orders. Mariku knew far too well how that felt.

He looked sad, then, moving his head so that his bangs covered his eyes. Mariku still knew his expression, though. Guilt. "I didn't- mean to. I couldn't- help it. I told you why… I was created by Malik subconsciously to hurt you, punish you. It wasn't my choice. And we're so lonely… We didn't mean to. We just want a friend, company. We like you."

"You're sick. Let me go." Hatred was on his face. It was how Mariku was supposed to look; full of everything negative. He squirmed, trying to struggle out of the tentacles' grip, but as he had learned all too quickly before, the sheer number of them and their strength- well, he couldn't really put up too much of a fight.

"No, we won't. We won't let you. You don't have a _choice._ Let's just be friends!" Namu seemed to be desperate then as he grabbed his shoulders and pleaded up at him.

"Get _off_ of me!" Goddamn he just wanted _away._

"No! No no no!" And he was so _stubborn_ too, like a kid! Though, his childishness was also violent, and Mariku instantly stopped struggling when tentacles started looping their way around his neck. Still, he glared up at Namu when he was pinned onto his back. "Why can't you just be nice!?"

"Why can't you just leave me alone."

"Because we're lonely."

"And I hate you."

The monster seemed to be stuck at this. What else was there to say? Namu looked down at the city and sighed, and Mariku craned his neck to see it slowly start to fade from existence, and back into the fabrications of the Shadow Realm.

"What if…" Namu's eyes searched his face, flicking away quickly when Mariku frowned deeply. "I fixed your ankle? Would you be our friend then?"

Mariku was dumbstruck. He could… _fix_ him? He could _fix _him and he didn't before!? Mariku grit his teeth, again becoming insanely angry, before calming himself on the inside. It would be greatly to his benefit if he could walk without crutches, and wouldn't be limited to that hospital room that Namu had created for him earlier. It would also speed up Namu trusting him; all he wanted was praise. If he healed his ankle, Mariku would be happy, and Namu in turn would become even more blind to his plans.

"…Yes." His expression still cold, Mariku watched as Namu's face lightened, becoming excited.

"Oh! Oh, well just be still, okay? It won't take long. Since you are a part of the Shadow Realm, I can fix you, too."

The tentacles moving his leg to the side, Mariku hissed through clenched teeth as his broken ankle was jostled. Namu smiled at him, but said nothing as he looked down at his ankle as he had done before. Just concentrated very hard. And again, Mariku began to grow impatient after the minutes started passing by.

"Are you done yet?" It was forced as Mariku tried to keep his tone of voice under control.

Namu grew a bit flustered, but furrowed his eyebrows farther. After another minute had gone by, his expression instantly relaxed, and he smiled, jumping up.

"I am!"

"Well, then, will you let me go?" Mariku noted the bit of hesitation on his face as he paused before the tentacles slowly unwound themselves from his body.

Moving his limbs cautiously, Mariku braced himself as he kneeled, preparing to stand, just in case he had not healed his bones correctly. Exhaling sharply and expecting a wave of pain, Mariku merely wobbled on unsteady feet as he stood. Namu reached out of him quickly, supporting him up. Another brief moment of anger from having Namu think that he was pathetic enough that he needed help to stand, he calmed, knowing the role he had to play.

"Thank you, you did a very good job." Mariku's face twisted more horribly then anything else as he forced himself to _smile_ at him.

Namu's face lit instantly up, beaming at his praise. He was such a naïve moron.

"Thank you! Will you be our friend, now? Because… because we helped you? You like it, don't you?" He was a little too eager, and too prone to smiling. Mariku was not used to the look of happiness on Malik's face, _his_ face… Namu's face.

Mariku paused. "…Yes."

Again, an expression of complete joy took him over, and Mariku suddenly doubted if he could keep up pretending to be his 'friend' as long as it would take to stab him in the back, in the end.

"Well…! Well let's play! Will you play with us? Let's go to the river."

Mariku wasn't given a choice as Namu began walking down the steps the grassy lawn of the riverbank. He had stopped supporting him once Mariku proved to be able to walk fine on his own, but insisted to hold his hand. Mariku felt uncomfortable as Namu led him to the river, crouching down next to it. It made him nervous when he put both of his arms in the water, and felt his tentacles wrap around them for the second time.

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**So I will literally get down on my hands and knees and beg for a review, since I got a grand total of one, my last update. I will possibly write you a oneshot if you do so. OH WOE, FEEL MY PAAAAAIIIN, CRAAAWLING IN MY SKIIIN. Pfft. Also LOL at the fact that this fic is so vastly different from what I usually write. **


	5. Chapter o5

**It's summer, for me. So I'll be updating more. I hope to finish this before school starts in August.**

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The tentacles didn't taste bad in his mouth. In fact, they hardly tasted like anything at all. There was no bitter, sharp flavor, or numbness that meant that the liquid the tentacles were excreting were poison. All in all, they were harmless. Perfectly harmless. They couldn't hurt him. ...Without meaning too, anyway. No, the tentacles were dangerous, _very_ dangerous, but not without physical effort. Having seemed to realize that he was thinking about it, the tentacle leaked a little more fluid into his mouth, and sped up that slow thrusting motion. It gave him a firm thrust, almost pressing against the back of his throat and he let out a soft whimper, worried that it would slither down his throat. It seemed a little more then an inch thick, perhaps one and a half. It was not so thick that his jaw was uncomfortably stretched open, but he knew that if his jaw was kept open for longer than a little while, it would become sore.

They slid around his body, hooking up and underneath his clothes, probing and prodding and exploring every inch of skin they could get. One slid around his waist, and although his eyes instantly widened, it did not seem to want to strangle or constrict him. Their touches were gentle, kind, almost. Mariku mentally scowled at the idea. He literally did nothing, just simply laid back and allowed the tentacles to continue their molestation. It was all in the plan, after all. Gain Namu's trust so that it was oblivious and naive enough to not doubt him when he pressed something sharp to his neck, and slit his throat. Drifting off into his usual day dream of murder, the tentacles reminded him of their presence, and yanked down on his shirt, tearing it so that his chest was open.

Mariku groaned as one of the thin tentacles wound up his arms, and started rubbing circles onto his nipples. He continued to groan, the feeling awkward and foreign. The tentacle was excreting the same liquid as the one that continued thrusting languidly into his mouth, and the air cooled the liquid almost immediately, making his nipples hurt just a bit and his body shiver. Pressure was exerted more and more as time went by onto his chest, and the firm touching was making him delirious. Gripping the bars of the hospital bed, Mariku glared the best he could over at Namu as he started to become delirious.

Namu was enjoying itself, and that pissed him off. It was laying on its back, staring calmly up at the ceiling, an arm over its forehead as it breathed softly, an expression of pleasure on its face. Mariku, meanwhile, was on his knees and elbows, gripping the bars of the bed as one of the tentacle's continued to fuck his mouth, and the others swarmed around him. It made him angry that _he _should be at such a disadvantage while Namu just got to sit back and enjoy it. Mariku did not like being dominated, it was disgusting. But... it would be a lie if he said he did not enjoy it as well.

Because he _did_. Very, very much. The tentacles were smooth and cool, making his skin almost melt under their touch. There was no point resisting, and he knew that it was a quick way to gain Namu and the tentacle's trust, so Mariku rationalized that the best thing to do was to enjoy it. And once he had opened his mind, he had realized that- well... it _did _feel good, even if the idea of it was disgusting. Mariku had never felt true physical pleasure, so the sudden plethora of touch made his mind swarm. There was an ache inside of him that begged to be touched, and the prospect of it happening made him ecstatic. He hated Namu, oh yes, but he loved how it and the tentacles made him feel. He did no work, merely sucked on the tentacle in his mouth (what else was there to do with it? Besides, it seemed to enjoy it, and- well, just a quicker way to get them to trust him) and kneeled with his knees spread, begging for the tentacles to touch him.

Having been looking over at Namu's face while he sucked on the tentacle in his mouth, Mariku looked down a bit confused when it quivered almost violently and released a gracious amount of the liquid it had been leaking out before. Choking on the sheer amount of it, Mariku spit it out, some of it dribbling down his chin. It moved out of his mouth slowly, lethargic, and left with a gross wet sound. Mariku squeezed one eye shut as it trailed along his cheek, almost rewarding him for a job well done. Moving along his cheek to his neck, it rubbed him and Mariku moaned, wiggling just a bit. The tentacles became more excited, all seeming to want a turn, and competed for their space on his skin.

They swarmed over his body in excess, now. The feeling was slightly ticklish, with how many there wore, and Mariku groaned again. Damn him but he _wanted_it. The tentacles, Namu, whatever _it_was. There was just that carnal feeling inside of him, one that he had only experienced when Namu had let the tentacles enter him. He didn't know what it was, but he did know how to fix it. Mariku wouldn't be embarrassed. He got what he wanted, and dammit he wanted this!

"Hnngh." He continued to make gutteral sounds near the back of his neck.

Spreading his legs a bit more, Mariku began to rotate his hips forward and backwards slowly, hoping the tentacles got the hint. They seemed to, and Mariku felt as if he could melt in that burning feeling as they wound around his thighs, rubbing his lower lips through his pants. His head rolled to the side a bit, and he opened his mouth once again, two tentacles quickly filling the space. They were eager, and so was he. It was a way to bait them, and Mariku rocked his hips forward faster.

Besides him, Namu let out a low moan, fisting his hands into the blanket and looked over at Mariku through hazy eyes. Mariku wanted to scowl, a flush of embarrassment covering his face as Namu looked at him while he allowed the tentacles to continue fucking his mouth. Blinking at him as Mariku continued to buck his hips forward, Mariku was taken by surprise as Namu suddenly grabbed his arms and pulled him to the bed. Mariku collapsed and the tentacles insantly left his mouth to allow Namu access.

Namu was never very forward, almost shy when it came to this, and let the tentacles do the work. So when it pulled him to it, and shoved its tongue into his mouth, Mariku didn't know how to react. Namu rubbed himself all over him, moving his leg between Mariku's so that Mariku rubbed back, delirious. The tentacles continued to move along Mariku's body, twisting around his limbs and trying to work their way between Namu's leg and Mariku's body. Their kisses were extremely sloppy, and the wet sound of their lips moving together made Mariku feel hotter. Continuing to jerk his hips towards Namu's body so that he rubbed himself on its leg, Namu broke away for a second.

"C-Can they-" Its voice wavered as Mariku tried to continue the kiss.

Mariku's heart sped up at the offer. "Yes. It shouldn't have- taken you so long to- ask."

The second he complied, the tentacles swarmed over him once again. The most eager didn't bother with taking off his pants, and wiggled their way inside. Mariku's limbs felt shaky as one rubbed against his clit while searching for his entrance. It was wet, and the friction against him made his thigh's tremble. Searching didn't take long, and Mariku bit his lip as it began to poke its way eagerly inside of him. He spread his legs, to try and help the stretching feeling. It had made it hardly two inches inside, before Mariku felt it retreating, and he cried out in protest as he opened his eyes to see Namu pulling on it.

Namu looked up at him, and kissed his stomach before unbuttoning his pants. The tentacles occupied themselves with Mariku's chest and mouth.

"It's easier, this way." It offered as an excuse. And when his pants and underwear were successfully off and thrown to the floor, the tentacles resumed what he had been waiting for.

Mariku closed his eyes and jerked his hips forward, egging the tentacles on as a thick orange one began to move inside of him again. It, too, was covered in the liquid, and Mariku's own wetness helped it along. He shifted, lifting his hips up to help it as it pushed into him. The feeling was foreign and strange, the feeling of being filled. He ached for it, though, like a sort of craving. He WANTED to be filled all the way up, to have something large inside of him. Becoming impatient, Mariku reached his hand down, and began rubbing himself in a leisurely manner as the tentacle continued into him.

It was almost euphoric. There was no pain, only a slight stretching feeling. It was- pleasurable. It made his head lose track of time and place, made him think only about that feeling and how he wanted more of it, and how good the tentacle inside of him felt when it made a wiggling motion. The tentacle stopped moving, after a while, and Mariku jerked his hips forward, wanting it to continue to move. He could feel himself practically dripping from the wetness, the want, and Mariku wanted to scream at it to keep up the pace it had started. The second he opened his mouth, though, two more tentacles filled the void, and his voice was muffled by their size. His jaw would hurt later.

Wanting to spit the two in his mouth out, Mariku's eyes rolled up into the back of his head at the sudden and complete pleasure as the orange tentacle resumed it's journey, and entered him fully, rubbing up against something absolutely _amazing._Feeling unable to move or think, just throb and wish for more, Mariku twisted his torso towards Namu as the tentacles moved around his waist and thighs, lifting his hips up as they spread his legs. He closed his eyes, refusing to look at Namu while the tentacle slowly started to easy its way back out of him.

His breath was heavy as he tried to gasp for air through the tentacles in his mouth, and the bit of air that he did have was used up by each time he moaned as the tentacle hit that spot again. Over. And. Over. It moved slow, as if gaining momentum. Potential energy, just waiting to become kinetic. The tentacles in his mouth slowed, and in hopes of exciting the one inside of him, Mariku rubbed them with his tongue, and gave his best at sucking. It worked, though, and to his delight the one inside of him wiggled twice before speeding up.

It moved into him harder, with more force, and more prescence. It made him moan, and then moan again right in the middle of his syllable. It made his breath hitch up in his throat, and made his toes curl. It made him want more, and Mariku sucked harder to get it. To get the tentacles to just _fuck_him. Mariku rubbed his clit harder, and both of the tentacles in his mouth came at once.

Namu, beside him, was still, just as in the beginning. It showed pleasure on its face, was breathing deeper then usual, and would gasp every so often. Mariku wondered why- it- didn't- just try and fuck him itself. But it made sense. Namu was not a human, it didn't have... reproductive organs, or at least, not human ones. That's what the tentacles were for, and Mariku was reminded again of them when the orange one started to lose control on rhythm. The tentacles around his middle tightened, an the ones around his thighs spread them apart even more. Mariku's hand sped up as well as the tentacle thrusted in and out of him faster. His whole body moved with the motion, jerking him forward and back.

It was becoming too much to bear, too much to feel all at once. His mouth was open and he didn't even try to stop the moans pouring out of it. He felt so- full, and out of touch with everything other then what was happening in his lower regions. Vaguely, Mariku noted Namu rolling next to him and kissing his neck. There wasn't any embarrassment, anymore, just carnal lust. Mariku wanted to cum. He wanted orgasm. And it was quickly coming. And the second the tentacle rubbed against his g-spot once again, he did.

"Oh, _fuck!_"

Orgasm made his head swim as he felt the tentacle release inside of him. It wasn't white, if he had to relate it to a color, it was a mushy sort of black. It was everything at once. Mariku's body felt stiff, and his toes curled as he reached orgasm. He threw his head back and just _felt._ It was like a wonderful release. Pleasure. _Pleasure,_ that was the only way to describe it. He continued to rock his hips forward, drawing it out the best he could. He was disappointed to realize that the euphoric feeling didn't last as long as it had before.

Instead, about a minute or two after, Mariku felt the tentacles unwind from his body and lower his bottom half back down to the bed. He said nothing, just breathed deeply and relaxed. Or at least, tried to. After he continued to become more and more intune with the world at hand, he began to feel extremely uncomfortable. His jaw did indeed ache, and his vagina hurt from being stretched so far, let alone the gross feeling of the tentacle's semen trickle out of him. More then anything, Mariku wanted to be clean. Deciding he wanted to shower, Mariku made a move to sit up, but scowled when he felt Namu reach out to grab his wrist.

"Did you," Namu said, looking up at him with his large eyes and slit pupils, "like it?"

Mariku continued to scowl, and shook his arm, making Namu let go of him. He said nothing, and gave him no encouragement. Trying to leave the bed again, Mariku only grew angrier when Namu restrained him again, this time the tentacles holding him back.

"Th-they wanted to know if you li-"

"No, I didn't!

Namu looked hurt, and the tentacles quickly unwound from him to travel back to behind Namu's back. Standing up, Mariku didn't look back at Namu as he crossed the room to the bathroom.

They were in a diferent building. Since Mariku's leg was no longer broken, Namu decided he wanted to go somewhere more exciting then a hospital. His world wasn't just one small area, it was... an entire _world. _Namu had created an entire _world _inside of his mind, the shadow realm_, _with people and cities and life. He had wanted to go to a city, and so they had travelled by car to the city closest to the hospital. It unnerved him when Namu thanked the driver of the car; he was not really alive, even though he smiled and told them to have a good trip. None of these people were, none of the people on the streets, or in shops, or out on dates, the hotel's maids, the people in the neighboring hotel room... none of them were real, they were just fabricated existence that Namu had imagined up. And yet, they were more real then Mariku was...

Having no clothes to take off, Mariku turned on the shower, and stepped in. It was a nice shower, not that he had lived long enough to see many, but he could tell it was nice. The water felt good, and it felt even better to scrub himself down to get rid of the thin gloops of... tentacle semen that had covered his body. He rubbed his thighs together, still feeling a bit weird down there. Mariku wondered briefly if there was a chance that he could have gotten pregnant, but shook his head for the silly thought. This wasn't real life, he couldn't get pregnant. But Mariku looked down at himself.

He didn't know why he referred to himself as a 'he'. Perhaps because masculinity was much more threatening? But his figure... definitely didn't look male. He was curvy and soft, with wider hips and more shapely legs. And running his hands up the sides of his body, his hands rested on his chest where he felt his small but definitely _there_ breasts. It didn't matter, though. He wouldn't let his sex determine his personality or goals. He was sadistic, insane, determined, and he would _kill _Namu and Malik to get what he wanted. Nothing would hold him back, especially his gender.

Scrubbing himself off, Mariku washed and rinsed his hair, and turned the shower off. Stepping out, he shivered slightly before rubbing himself down with a towel.

Leaving the bathroom, he wondered where Namu was as he picked up his pants and tugged them on, fiddling with his belt before it clicked into place. He looked for his shirt, and picked it up when he found it laying next to the bed. Pulling it on over his head, Mariku yelped when he felt himself get flung to the bed. Dazed and disoriented, it took a while for Namu's figure to come into focus over him. Moving to shove him away, the tentacles restrained him once again.

"Dammit, let go of me!" Mariku screamed, kicking his leg up so that he kneed Namu in the chest. Namu exhaled sharply, but didn't show pain on its face.

"No, not until you calm down!" Again, Namu reminded him of a stubborn child.

Mariku tried thrashing around a bit more, gnashing his teeth and flinging curse words, but calmed when he realized, as always, it would get him no where. He laid underneath Namu, chest heaving and an angry expression on his face. Struggling one last time, Mariku glared up at it.

"_What!?_" His voice was sharp, and he could see Namu waver above him.

"Why are you so angry all of the time?"

"I'm _not, YOU _just piss me off all of the fucking time!" Mariku tried to kick Namu again, but three tentacles emerged from behind Namu to wrap around his thigh, holding him in place. ...Where exactly did the tentacles come from? Were they a part of Namu's body? "Let me go!"

"No, not until you sop being so angry all of the time!" Namu's eyebrows furrowed as it looked down at him. Mariku _hated_being looked down upon. He would look down on Namu when he was dead and bleeding out the stomach and neck.

"You think I can _help_it!?" Mariku screeched, but finally stopped struggling."Who do you think I _am!?_I'm Malik's _darkness,_ his _pain_. I was _born_ from his hatred! I don't even know who I _am._" Hadn't Namu already asked him this?

"I know who you are," Namu said, moving so that it sat down next to him.

Mariku scowled. "What, then!?"

"You're our friend."

Mariku looked over at it for a while, watching how Namu's eyes moved back and forth slightly as it looked back at him. And again, Mariku scowled. He scoffed. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It means," Namu said, cocking its head to the side, "that you _are _somebody. Malik isn't friends with me, you are. That means you're different from Malik, that you shouldn't be so angry, that you do have a choice..."

Mariku scowled again, rolling onto his side, noting how the tentacles let him. They must have realized he wasn't trying to escape. Not giving it any encouragement, Mariku squeezed his eyes shut when he heard Namu continue.

"I think you're lonely, I think you just want somebody who you can talk to. I know that you'll say 'I don't need anyone to talk to, I want to _kill_ you!' or something like that. But what good would that do? Further your own hatred? Why can't you just... try to be happy? We like you, _I_like you, so you should like yourself. It will...be easier to kill Malik, that way, when you aren't doubting yourself."

"I don't doubt myself, I'm strong!" The idea that Namu thought that he wasn't capable was infuriating.

"I didn't say that you didn't doubt your _strength,_ just... who you _are._"

Stiffening when the tentacles left him, Mariku exhaled when he felt Namu's hand on the dip of his curves. "...Don't touch me, you already did that enough today." Somehow, his voice lost its malice.

"...Did you like it?" Ah, that question again...

"...Yes." Mariku opened his eyes, looking at his hand that rested on the pillow he was laying on. This life, this experience, was so surreal. There wasn't even a bit of that lust that remained; had it ever even been real in the first place? Was _any_ of this real?

Namu smiled behind him, even though Mariku could not see. He just knew it. Even though he had only known Namu for about a week and a half's time, he felt as though it had been much longer. It lived inside his mind, after all. Initially glaring when he felt Namu cuddle up next t him, Mariku relaxed, and was surprise when he did so. ...Where was his sadism? Just because there was no application for it in this world didn't meant that it was gone, right? ...Right?

"Tomorrow, let's play in the city."

"...Alright."

Namu trusted him. How much longer until Mariku killed it?

* * *

**...So I finally made Mariku a full girl. YES, YES I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR SO LONG. Notice how I get much more into writing a girl getting screwed then a man getting screwed. ... I have many theories on how Mariku is a woman, if anybody would care to hear. But since fandom is so adverse to vagina, I'll say this now: please continue reading. Just because I gave her tits doesn't meant that Mariku still isn't fucking awesome. Seriously, it's the same character, just with a hooch instead of a dick. :| Then again, fandom hates Anzu for that very reason, even though she has done nothing to deserve the hate. Anyway, much love to all those who review. Oh, those few that review...**


	6. Chapter o6

**I'm sorry for the late update. My home life is horrible. I will finish the story, though. I have an obligation to, and fandom makes me happy. The next chapter will be the last chapter.**

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Mariku didn't think he liked the city. It was... too busy. There was too much life. …Even if that life was superficial, Mariku still didn't like the way that bodies crowded around him in the busy street. He didn't like that he was so _close_to the people that he hated so much. It made him anxious, and blood lust surged through his veins. His hands would clench out of instinct, and was always disappointed when he did not feel the rod within the fists he'd make. ...This world was such hell. Namu, on the other hand, seemed to love it.

Begrudgingly, Mariku would watch with an ever present scowl as the monster smiled and beamed on the street. It was happy, or at least it seemed it, and Mariku hated that fact. He _hated _that it could be so happy when he was so- lost. But Namu didn't seem to care, and always smiled in his presence. Mariku wondered if Namu knew just how much he was dying on the inside. The split seconds of doubt on Namu's face pointed to yes. It didn't help anything, though, and Mariku still resented it the longer the day went on.

It had wanted to go to the city, it had said, and although Mariku didn't see the appeal, he agreed to go along with it. (A sick mockery, as if he had a choice...) The day would be nice, Namu had decided, and had sat at a table and planned out their itinerary for the day while Mariku hovered by its side, arms crossed and still scowling. Chewing on the end of its pen when it was done, Namu had showed the schedule to Mariku, who looked at it with disinterest. Namu looked put off, but held his hand all the way out of the hotel and out into the busy street where they now stood lost and overwhelmed. And it was _hot._

_Blistering, _was the word Mariku liked to use for days like this. Reassuring was the word he used to describe his reaction to the heat. Very reasuring, nostalgic... The heat reminded him of Egypt, of the small bit of childhood he had. When Namu was not looking, Mariku would smile. The smile would fade quickly the second one of the fabricated people would pass him. No loss. Mariku was more comfortable with unhappiness then being content, anyway.

"I can't figure out where Second Street is..." Namu moaned, pouting, and looking over all _cute._Mariku frowned at it, put off by its expression, and looked away from where Namu sat crouched down next to him, map on the ground, tracing the lines that represented streets.

"Like hell I know." Mariku spat the words out, purposefully being as cruel as possible. Namu looked hurt.

"Oh, well, then-" Its tone of voice had dropped, and looked considerably hurt. "I'll fix it myself."

Mariku waited, frowning, expecting a considerable change in atmosphere, and started to open his mouth when he felt a slight flutter. It was hardly anything, easily forgettable, but it made him shudder, anyway. It started up around his feet, and crawled upwards through him, like a shockwave. It left before he could even pinpoint the feeling, and Mariku, as always, doubted his reality.

Having closed his eyes to regain composure, he shuddered and jumped slightly when he felt Namu's hand hold his own. Its fingers were soft and uncaloused, and its hand fit so nicely with his own. Mariku's fingers were lax as he held his hand, but he did not pull away.

"I fixed it." Namu said, and Mariku looked over at it.

"...Fixed what?" He spoke to him with neither praise or hatred. His voice was devoid of emotion. His voice was neutral.

Namu tilted its head slightly, with a curious expression. "The street, I fixed it. I moved it closer."

...Ah. Mariku had forgotten Namu's control over this world. It was all within the palm of its hands. The very fabrication of space, Malik's mind, could be warped and transformed to Namu's will. What it wanted, it got. And as Mariku let his eyes drift away from Namu's face to the world it had created, jealousy swelled inside of him. Absolute control. It was all he longed for, the only thing he had ever wanted, but was denied of. Namu, however, was born with it. Mariku's hand tightened around Namu's not out of affection, but anger, as he grit his teeth.

Although he wasn't looking at him, Mariku could feel Namu's eyes move down, its posture shift, and its mood sink. Was Namu really so worried of his opinion, of the fact that he _hated_ it? That he _loathed _it and everything it was? It seemed so, and it gave Mariku a slight thrill. He would love to crush the hope inside the monster. Mariku was not its friend, no matter how it wanted him to be. Mariku_ hated_ it.

"So we-" Namu started, but paused, when Mariku looked back, as if self conscious and unsure of itself, "we'll go, now?"

It was a question, but it wasn't a choice, so Mariku shrugged and left it at that. Seeing that Namu would have to leave, it paused once again before starting to walk down the busy sidewalk. Having still bee holding his hand, Mariku was forced to follow, surrounded by fabricated city life.

The streets felt more crowded, and Mariku wasn't sure or not if Namu had created more people on purpose, or if the people continued on fake lives after they past them. Did the woman in the business suit have a fake life after they walked past her, or did she disappear once their backs were turned? What about the children sitting on the steps leading up to a brick apartment? Were there rooms inside where they led fake lives, or did they disintegrate the second they were no longer seen?

Fake. Fabricated. Superficial. None of it was real, not the cars, the grass, the sky, the buildings, the people, or himself. It was all just a dream within Malik's head, and Mariku was a part of it. Mariku... and Namu. Mariku had been created to save Malik. Namu had been created to punish Mariku. They were puppets, pawns, disposable when Malik was done with them, left to rot in the back of the mind until they met each other. And perhaps... Namu knew this.

That was why it craved for companionship. _Mariku's _companionship. They were similar. They were the same. Namu understood him, but Mariku would reject it. It was wrong, there wasn't supposed to be a Namu! Mariku was created to help Malik. Mariku, and Mariku alone! There couldn't be another! Mariku _demanded _Malik's attention and recognition. Mariku was nothing. The only thing that Mariku was, was the idea Malik created. And if Malik could create other ideas, Namu, then- Well, it didn't matter. None of it mattered. None of it would matter until Mariku regained control of Malik's body. Then, he would _show _Malik, and the world, what he was.

Shaking his head, Mariku focused on where they were walking, and not his own thoughts. Namu, it seemed, had gotten over Mariku's coldness towards it, and regained its normal cheerful and naive demeanor. They walked for a bit longer, the sun still hot and Namu still holding his hand. After a couple more blocks, Namu happily pointed out the street sign; the street it had moved.

"I told you I moved it."

And Mariku didn't doubt it.

The day went by in periods of boredom. Activity after activity, Mariku listed them on a scale of 'tolerable' to 'mind numbingly boring' to 'I hate this I want to die'. Feeding ducks at a park placed highest on the list, and Namu had to grab his arm to get him out of his crouched position with his head between his knees and to move on to its next destination. It made Mariku drag his feet, the more things they did, so Namu waved down a taxi, thinking that Mariku was tired and not just ready to die from boredom. Because Mariku didn't enjoy small little nothings like Namu did. Mariku enjoyed excitement, adrenaline, and terror, not fooling off at a park or going to a museum or going out to eat or feeding ducks or any other sort of activity that peaked Namu's interest.

Forever optimistic, though, the day only continued on with Namu by his side. Since Namu had control over the world (Malik's subconscious? Another plane of life?), there was no passing of time, and thus, limitless hours in the day. In the real world, the time Namu spent riding amusement park rides while Mairku sat on a bench and scowled would have added up to around ten hours. In its world, though, time was meaningless and Namu only measured time by how much fun it was having. And, well, it was having fun.

It was interesting, how Namu lived. They were the same, very much the same, he and it, but Namu smiled and Namu enjoyed the pathetic portion of life that was handed to them. The difference was black and white, optimism and pessimism. However, Namu had never lived as Mariku had, had never been in the real world as Mariku. Namu was happy because it didn't know what it was missing. Bliss in ignorance...

Eating, too, was a strange concept, Mariku thought as he stared across the table at the monster, who had decided later on that it wanted to go out to eat. They had no physical body, and did not grow to be hungry as he had when he had lived in the real world, but still felt a desire to eat. This world was strange, very strange, and Mariku smiled just slightly as Namu ordered seafood. That had to have been some sort of cannibalism.

"Where does the food come from?" Mariku asked, setting down his fork.

"Eh?" The tentacles had returned as Namu ate. It used its hands to eat with a fork, but tentacles slithered out from behind it and would periodically steal food and quickly dart back behind him. It made Mariku uneasy to be reminded that Namu wasn't physically human.

"The food. Where does it come from. Is it fake? How are we able to consume it?" His tone of voice was slightly accusatory, even though he knew that Namu probably didn't have the answers.

Namu paused and set its own fork down, thinking, and Mariku watched as many tentacles swarmed over its plate, like animals waiting for the pack leader to finish with its share so that they could have a go at it. "I think-" It said, eyes moving off to the side as it watched the fake people in the restaurant, "that- it's compensation. We don't need it, but it's a pleasure. Our bodies are tangible, but only to an extent. We don't have need for bodily functions. We don't need to eat or drink or breath, but- we can because it's habit and it feels good. Compensation, because we aren't allowed real lives."

Mariku looked away as Namu looked back, unable to meet its eyes. Not because Mariku was mad, or didn't want to look at the monster, but because it was right, and Mariku was scared. He had always known it, but hearing it from the only other being that was similar to himself was... unnerving and frightening. It was like it confirmed the truth, his hypothesis.

The monster frowned as Mariku looked away, and moved its head down lower to look up at him.

"Hey-"

"Don't touch me!" Mariku was jerked quickly out of self pity and introspect when he felt a tentacle wrap around his wrist. The gesture was meant to be consoling, but only made him feel trapped and pitied. Mariku didn't want pity, he wanted to be feared! Namu recoiled, looking up worriedly against the plush seat.

"I'm sick of your goddamn pity! I'm sick of this day, I'm sick of this place, all of this shit! I'm sick of you!" Screaming felt good. It felt good to release all of his sadness and anger. Creating hurt and chaos was what Mariku was born to do, if nothing else.

"Mariku, I didn't-"

"No, cut it out, cut it out!" He could feel people looking, staring. But that was fine, they weren't real! None of them were real, none of it was real! Mariku yelled louder as more tentacles tried to control and console him. "Goddamnit, get _off _of me!" And he had had enough. The second they tried wrapping around him, he bolted. Jumping up from his chair, he grabbed his knife and stabbed it into one of the orange tentacles. Instantly, they darted back, and Namu made a choked sound, clutching at it when it moved back towards it. Mariku glared down at it, watching Namu's hurt expression, before throwing his chair to the side and storming out of the restaurant.

Namu had finally decided to allow night to fall, and Mariku squinted into the dark streets. There were no lights, cars, or people. It was a dead city, but Mariku didn't care, and only ran in one direction. It didn't matter which direction, just so that he could escape. He wanted away, out of it all. He wanted away from the fake world and from Namu. He wanted solitude. He wanted what he had before, the boredom of being alone. He had thought anything would have been better then being bored, but it wasn't true. There were worse things and feelings. Solitude was better then forced company. And Mariku laughed, while running, at Namu's special touch as it began to rain.

It not only rained, but poured. The concrete gathered puddles quickly, and Mariku's shoes splashed against them, the water crowding his vision. It was hard to see, but he had no destination. So long as he didn't run into something, he would be fine. And the world was amazingly intricate. There were an endless number of alleyways, streets, buildings, doors, windows, trashcans, street posts, trash- everything inside a city, and Namu had created it all. The idea made him angry, and he grit his teeth, running into an alleyway, trying to escape the rain just a bit.

Stumbling over a group of trashcans, he stopped and panted, leaning over so that his hands were on his knees. How far would he have to run to escape the city? He looked up, dejected and furious, deciding to keep on going. He shook his head, feeling water fly off of his hair, and trudged on, no longer running. He felt exhausted, physically and mentally. He wanted to rest, and get out of the rain. And almost as if his prayers had been answered, Mariku found himself leaving the pathetic protection of the alleyway and stepping out in front of the park gates they had gone to earlier. It seemed like a good place to rest at, and Mariku crossed the street to push open the iron gates. They creaked as he shut them, and began to walk along one of the paths that led farther into the park.

The trees were nice, and offered a bit of cover from the rain. Mariku decided that he quite liked the atmosphere of rain, how the sky clouded over, giving everything a darker hue, and the constant noise of the water hitting different surfaces. He was soaking wet, but that was fine. It was relieving, cleansing, almost, and made him almost... optimistic. Because he enjoyed it. He enjoyed the rain, even if it was fake. There were so few things that he enjoyed, and alone, dripping wet, he felt that he could look forward to the next time it rained, just as he looked forward to the feeling of life and power as he reclaimed Malik's body.

Having no more need to run, Mariku trudged off the path to sit underneath a tree, exhaling as he finally got off his feet. Looking off in front of him with half lidded eyes, Mariku wrapped his arms around himself and shivered, cold. He didn't like the cold, but he could deal with it. He was so solitary, all alone. It was comforting. It was- nice. Relieving. His emotions were foreign; Mariku didn't understand happiness, well. But he was too tired to reflect on it. It just all felt too good, and Mariku fell asleep.

-

"Why am I always the one to run after you?"

Mariku's sleep was short and shallow, the kind of sleep where you can still feel connected to what is happening in the real world. Yet, he was too tired to object when he felt Namu sit down next to him. Thankfully, Namu kept its distance.

"Because you're the only one besides me, here." Mariku's eyes and lips felt heavy. He forced the words out of himself.

"That's true."

Namu was quiet for a while, after that, and Mariku was thankful. It was raining, but not as hard. Still, though, he felt exhausted. Sleep was not an option, so instead he opted to sit quietly and look off into the distance with tired eyes. He watched as raindrops hit the top of the pond, and the ripples that came directly after. It seemed lonely, but that was fine with Mariku. He hadn't known how long he had been sleeping, though, and shivered, having been out in the rain for so long.

"...Are you cold?" Namu sounded sincerely concerned. Mariku debated on whether or not he should use harsh words or not as a reply.

"...Yeah." He opted to just be honest, since he was too tired to fight.

The monster seemed to sense this, and use it to its advantage, when he felt four tentacles slowly wrap around him. Mariku was surprised to feel that they had the same body temperature as Namu, as it scooted next to him. But Mariku was too tired to resist. Mariku was too tired to pretend.

"...I'm scared." Mariku said, after a while, the rain still not letting up.

"Of what?"

He paused, all of his words and thoughts resting on the top of his tongue, but too nervous to say them, to admit. "Of- everything." Mariku sighed. He was tired of everything, of it all. He was tired of running from fear and worry and self hatred. "I'm scared of not being real. I'm scared of not living. I'm scared of fear. I'm scared of Malik, of helplessness, of being alone, of- of everything. I don't want this. I don't want to live like this. I don't want to live to breath, I want to breath to live. Because I have to, not because I can. I want to be real. I want out. I'm scared, and tired." It gushed out of his mouth. And Mariku was vulnerable. He didn't want to lie to himself anymore: he had no power left, his sadism was receeding. He was losing who he was, had always been, and he was _scared._

_"..._I'm scared too." Namu's voice was quiet, and it didn't move to look at him. It spoke towards where it was looking. "I'm scared of everything you are scared of. But I'm not- going to let that hold me back. This is my life, even if you think it's fake. I have my own thoughts, and so do you. We are different. Everyone is different. We are alive, in our own way."

"But it's not real living, it's-"

"Who is going to decide if I'm living or not!?" Namu cut him off, suddenly raising its voice before calming. Mariku felt the tentacles tighten around him. "There's no one else here. It was only me, and now I have you. Who is there to tell me that I'm not living? Happiness is a state of mind. You can only feel it if you believe it, and I'm going to try."

Mariku looked down at his side, where Namu's hand rested in the grass. The fake grass. The tangible grass. ...Was it real, or was it fake? Was it all a state of mind? Would the outside world really be any different then this world? Mariku was scared. He was scared of what would happen after he won back Malik's body. What would he have, then? Would he create his world of darkness? For what? To kill off life so only he could remain? ...He had had that. He had been alone, and he had suffered internally. Alone. He didn't want to be alone. He didn't want to be in the darkness by himself. He wanted to create pain, because then, it meant that there was someone else there _to_ hurt. But he didn't want to be alone. He never did.

"...I don't want to be alone."

"You're not alone." Namu's voice was still quiet. Mariku shivered again, next to it. He liked the feeling of the tentacles around him, and Namu next to him. He did, he had probably almost always had. But company was an acquired taste, after being alone, for so long.

"...I want my body back."

Namu had nothing to say to this. Instead, he merely hugged him, as they waited for the rain to pass.

* * *

**Reviews would make me really happy. They do make me very happy.**


	7. Chapter o7 Final

**OH SHIT SON, AN UPDATE. AND NOT ANY UPDATE, THE FINAL CHAPTER. GOD YES. I mean- wait, I'm supposed to reflect here about how I liked this fic, right? :| Oh well. Well- it's the second multichaptered fic I've finished, the first being Stalker. It was fun, good times. But now it must end. However, still keep me on author alert, because the next full length fic that I'll be writing will be ~yuri~. THAT'S RIGHT, YOU PERVERTS, DELICIOUS TITS, but of course it'll be genderbent since Yuugiou's female cast is- sad. MalikxTouzouku. With tits. And porn. You heard it. So finish Ba'ed, review, and have fun~!**

**-Ami**

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It had been a month. A month's time, since Mariku had left the boredom and began to live in gilded normality. Not of free will, though. Forcibly. It had been a month since Mariku had been _forced_ out of his prison of darkness and into life with Namu. Time, the passing of days… it was such a strange concept. There was no time while he lived in the darkness, no days or night. But was there truly time when he lived with Namu, either? Mariku didn't know, and he wasn't sure if he cared either.

And while it had not been true living, the mock passing of time that Mariku went through took its toll on him. He was perpetually incarcerated with Namu's company. Always, always Namu was there. Namu was there in the morning, Namu was there in the afternoon, Namu was there at night, and Namu was there at every waking moment of Mariku's life. Namu liked him, perhaps loved him. It lived to entertain and be with him, to talk with him and take him places it had created. But Mariku had not been created to appreciate the kind of verbiage that Namu showed him. Mariku lived to destroy and hate, and the more that he was forced to accept acceptance itself, the more desperate he became.

He was going insane, and he knew it. Or, more that, he was growing _sane_. He could feel the hatred within himself extirpate, the need to hurt becoming less and less frequent, and most of all, the slow realization that perhaps, just maybe, he was something other then a tool of destruction. But it hurt. It hurt his mind, these facts, for who WAS he without his hatred, his misnomered identity? Namu reassured him that he would find the answer on his own, but Mariku had never been one to let things come to him; he came to _them._

With each day that passed, the weight dragged more and more on him, physically and mentally. It was hard to think in the way that he always had. The angry thoughts became less and less, replaced by guilt when they surfaced. He would find reasons to _forgive_, instead of hate. And if there could be only one thing that he was allowed to resent, it would be the voice of reason. It became more and more prominent within his mind, overshadowing his malevolent mindset. It made him trust Namu.

Namu was kind, thoughtful, and childish, with an air of naivety. It did not seem to be affected by his surroundings, never reflecting on the prison where they had been situated. It remained cheerful when Mariku reminded it that they were trapped, that the world it had created was fake, and that neither of them were human. And when Mariku screamed, broke down into hysterical anger, Namu remained neutral. Mariku would exhaust himself, and when he was too tired to scream anymore, Namu would come back and talk to him, touch him, be with him. Namu was security and reassurance. A lie, for it was also his imprisoner and the object of his confusion.

His relationship with the monster had grown from being tedious to a sort of amity. Because it _was_ true that Namu liked him, and acted as such. And maybe- Mariku liked it back, as well? He told himself time and time again that that was false, that the only reason that thought surfaced was because of their situation, but- …still. They spent so much time together, so many long hours, filled with either peace or excitement. Mariku grew to know Namu more intimately. The way it moved, how it talked, all of its little quirks that made it itself. And so Mariku's mind made a circle back to where it had been before.

If Namu was a creation of Malik's mind, how could it have its own personality, its own life? And, if Namu was truly unique, what was Mariku? Mariku was both a scapegoat and a necessity for Malik, Namu was not. Who was he? What was he doing? What was his purpose? These questions hurt in a way he wasn't truly able to understand. Confusion. Confusion meant that Mariku didn't have a direction. Where was he going? He was going to kill Namu and take back Malik's body, right?

…Yes, that was right. It was hard to keep track of his plan, as ambiguous as it was. Namu often distracted him from it, with its company and its constant gibbering as they explored each new place the monster had created. But, no. That was his plan, and he needed to execute it, no matter what the cost. Namu held him back. Namu made him weak, vulnerable with emotion. Emotion was foreign, not needed. Emotions were shackles, and they held him back, capturing both his body and mind, leaving him open to be attacked. Mariku would not let that happen. The questions that plagued him were trivial, and the ache in his heart could be eradicated easily once he killed Namu. Because, above all, Mariku was the true monster, and he would do whatever it took to regain his body.

* * *

Mariku glared at the TV, gabbing the remote's volume button up higher as Namu's cooking sounds grew even louder. Namu had decided for a change of scenery and decided that they would live in a house. 'For normality', it had said, but Mariku suspected the real reason was so that Namu could play housewife. …Which it did surprisingly well, Mariku hated to admit. It was just another game, this playing house of its. It liked to pretend that Mariku worked at a financial office (ironically, since Mariku hardly even knew basic math (Malik concentrated more on playing card games then actually learning)) and that it was his wife, and would shove him out the door, telling him that it was time to go to work (which usually meant that Mariku had to entertain himself for a couple of hours) before it let him back into the house, a meal ready on the table.

Today, however, since it was the weekend, Mariku didn't have 'work', and Namu let him stay inside. Since Namu had discovered how much _fun_ it was to cook him food, it tended to stay in the kitchen often, meaning Mariku was once again left to his own devices to entertain himself. Which didn't work out well when he could barely hear the TV over the noise Namu made in the kitchen. Namu was clumsy and had a habit of making little yelps when it burned itself or dropped something or- well it was cute the first couple of times, but the more it did it, the more Mariku's mood soured. Sinking down farther into the couch, Mariku growled when he realized he'd flipped through all of the channels on the TV, with absolutely nothing interesting playing.

"Namu!" Mariku had to yell over the sound of the TV and of oil simmering in the kitchen. "Are you almost done!?"

Mariku waited a patient seven seconds before yelling again after getting no reply.

"Namu!"

"Just wait a little while, Mariku~" Its voice drifted with a singsong ending, and Mariku frowned at the idea that it was so happy. Namu was always so happy… "Why don't you go upstairs and clean up the mess you made?"

Mariku glanced to the side, ignoring the television. That was… a possibility. It would be quieter upstairs, too. Not as loud as it was down here. Picking up the remote, Mariku turned off the TV, and fumbled for the light switch, since it was pitch black outside and the glare from the TV had been the only light in the room.

Stumbling blindly for a few moments when the light switch decided not to work, Mariku mad his way up the stairs, stepping over piles of clothes and unknown objects that he had thrown in his fit earlier. Mariku's little fits of violence and hysteria were becoming increasingly more erratic and unpredictable. Little things set him off, things that normally wouldn't even make him mad, even when he had lived in rage. That morning, it had been Namu ironing his shirt. He didn't- know why, but it- just made- him so mad. So, so mad. So refreshingly mad, and he acted as such. He never knew why he did things when he was mad, all he knew was that he wanted to _destroy,_ and _fuck_ it felt good to do so.

Mariku frowned, feeling a bit guilty when he stepped on Namu's broken picture frame, one of the things he had thrown earlier. He didn't know why he had it, but then again, he didn't know why Namu had any of the things it did. Sighing, Mariku rubbed his hand over it and got to work, slowly picking up and tidying the mess in the hallway. Lots of clothes; he remembered getting into the dresser and flinging them out. Some were ripped, and so Mariku threw them away, getting a black trash bag which he then kept with him as he cleaned. More things went into the trash bag then were put back into place. Mariku was destructive, which was… normal, right?

He moved slowly through the hallway, feeling uneasy the more he inspected the damage he had done, especially when he heard Namu's occasional hum that drifted up from downstairs. Mariku looked to the side, and picked up a wadded up pair of pants that was stuck under the bathroom door. He tugged at it, but it was stuck. Opening the door, Mariku flipped on the bathroom light and kneeled down to yank the shirt out from under the door, stumbling back a bit when he used too much force then what was necessary. Ready to turn, Mariku paused when something caught his eye.

It wasn't much, just a little glint of something hidden in a drawer that was partly open. That's all it was, just a little sliver of reflection. But still, Mariku was captivated. Dropping the trash bag, Mariku stepped quietly over to the counter, and pulled the drawer all the way open. Digging through hairbrushes and washcloths, Mariku paused when he found what had glinted. His eyes lowered, and his breathing seemed to slow. Each breath that passed his lips was soft, quiet. Mariku was transfixed.

Turning quickly to the door to check that Namu wasn't coming, Mariku grabbed the knife and darted to his bedroom, slamming the door shut. Collapsing onto his bed, Mariku examined what he held in his hands. A knife. A beautiful, sharp knife, hidden in the bathroom. It was gorgeous, and holding it made Mariku feel euphoric. He could almost imagine what it would feel like to use it, on flesh. But- why. Why would Namu have this in the bathroom? What was it _for_? Mariku didn't care. Mariku didn't care, because Mariku now had the means. Holding it up directly in front of his eyes, Mariku licked it slowly, tasting the metallic tang. Mariku had the means. It was so- simple, but it reminded him. Mariku had a way out. Mariku could kill Namu with the knife. Mariku wouldn't have to use his hands to strangle it; he could just- just stab him, like he had done with the rod. It was fate, Mariku knew, and he could feel bloodlust pound through him, his heart rate increase. He would leave. He would kill Namu and-

"Mariku~!" Mariku dropped the knife, almost cutting his tongue as his head whipped around to the door. "Dinner is ready~" He could hear Namu calling up from the bottom of the stairs.

Scowling at his clumsiness, Mariku jumped up and raced to the door, scared that he might have somehow been found out. Heart beating fast as he almost literally bolted down the stairs to where Namu was standing, Mariku tried hard not to smile as it touched his arm.

"You're smiling?" Namu blinked, confused, and one of the tentacles slithered around its waist. "Did you clean up good?"

"Yeah, I-" Mariku stopped himself, and then cleared his voice, pushing down his excitement in favor of his usual scowl. "Yeah. …I'm hungry."

Mariku was relieved when his mention of food distracted Namu from his unnatural happiness. Clapping its hands together excitedly, Namu hurried him into the kitchen where it had actual _mounds_ of food gathered.

"For you, Mariku." Namu led him to a chair, and pushed him down, regardless of Mariku's consent. Frowning, Mariku waited for Namu to sit down next to him, and his frown deepened when he realized that Namu would be doting on him.

"I made everything," The monster said, grabbing a bowl of what looked like mashed potatoes, and spooning a large portion onto his plate, "I hope you like it, I tried to make it taste like it would in the outside world. But there are a lot of spices, you know? I don't even know what most of them are. Do you think Malik ever ate them? Oh, wait, he must have, or then _I _wouldn't know what they were. Have you had them? I bet you'll like it, don't you?"

Namu blabbered, and Mariku played along, as usual. He was given many different foods, vegetables and soups and meats (which Mariku kept far away from). And- he didn't really mind. He didn't mind that he was forced to sit down and eat the things that the monster had cooked for him, didn't mind the smell of all the foods that sat in front of him, didn't mind the tentacles that twisted around him, or the conversation that Namu made. He didn't mind any of it, and Mariku forgot about murder, and the knife that he had left on his bed. Instead, Mariku slowly began to smile, and enjoy the things around him.

* * *

"…Mariku?"

They had long finished eating, and had sat together quietly at the table, too full to move or do anything else except make light conversation.

"Hmm?" Mariku's eyes were closed, and he almost missed Namu saying his name. A groggy reply was all he could muster from where his head lay on the table. Faintly, Mariku could feel one or two tentacles sliding softly over him.

"What would you do if you had your body back?" Namu's voice was soft, and Mariku couldn't tell its expression from its tone of voice. Mariku shifted in his seat.

"I would-"Mariku paused, tired, the effort to speak almost overwhelming, but not enough to overshadow the idea. "Go somewhere far away."

"Why?"

"Because…" Why? "I could- leave everything behind. No more remembering, no more Malik. Just me."

"Would you kill his brother and sister?"

"Mmm… Maybe. Rishid, yes, Rishid I would. Isis- no, I wouldn't kill Isis, she would just suffer with the knowledge." Mariku's eyes opened just a tiny bit, and his vision was blurry, but he could see Namu who sat next to him, his head also laying on the table, his face turned towards him, crying.

"Would you be happy, Mariku?" Namu's eyebrows were not furrowed, his face was not anguished, but still- tears. Why? Mariku closed his eyes, tired.

"No, never happy, I'd never- be happy. But I'd- have what I'd always wanted."

"What do you want, Mariku?"

"I want- my own life. Freedom. To not be in the dark, and I want them to _HURT._" Mariku's hands suddenly became fists, and his fingernails dug in hard into his palms. The tentacles that had been petting him suddenly pulled away, and tentatively returned after Mariku released the breath he had been holding and relaxed. They were comforting. "I just want what everyone else was born with."

Namu said nothing for a while, and Mariku began drifting towards sleep, when again, Namu said his name. "…Mariku?"

"Hmm…"

"…I love you."

"Mmm…" Namu had never said that… But Mariku was too tired to think the words through.

"No, Mariku, I-" Namu sounded a bit panicked, and he could hear its chair scraping against the floor. "We really love you."

"Hmm…" Mariku didn't pay much attention when Namu began touching him, although it made him jump since he wasn't expecting it, waking him wake up. Namu liked to touch him, it wasn't out of the ordinary. Relaxing, Mariku's frown returned but it was only slight as Namu kissed his neck. He leaned his head to the side and looked up at the ceiling, feeling the monster touch him and kiss him. It wasn't bad. In fact, it was never bad.

Namu was eager, and Mariku was treated almost like a doll as Namu climbed on his lap. There were kisses all over his face, his neck, his arm- any shred of skin that Namu could reach. It seemed desperate as it kissed him, sloppily, its tongue dragging across his skin before it grabbed its head and kissed him on the lips. This, Mariku wasn't used to, and only tentatively did he rest his hand on Namu's lower back, and kiss him back. Doing so seemed to excite Namu, and it broke away, breathing heavily and smiling.

"I love you." Namu's smile seemed too big for its face. "I do. I realized I do. We love you. You're our best friend."

"Oka-"

"No, nono, you don't understand, we _love_ you. We love you so much, Mariku. You're not alone." Namu kissed him again, and at once the tentacles swarmed over him, petting and touching and rubbing. Mariku groaned, the sensations almost too overwhelming. Namu's mouth was so wet.

"Namu-"

"Let's go upstairs." Namu's voice was hurried, and he kissed his chest, nipping at his collarbone. The tentacles grew more excited and forceful, as if each demanded to be recognized as a separate being, which, Mariku supposed, they were. "Please. Mariku-"

"Okay." He wasn't sure if his voice would work, but it did, and Mariku could barely stand when Namu leapt off his lap and began dragging him up the stairs.

They had to take short breaks in between, when Namu got too excited and pushed him against the wall, but Mariku didn't let himself be dominated, and it was short lived. He was growing hot, quickly, with all of its words and touches, and the tentacles that slithered between his legs. The stairs were difficult, but they managed to make their way up them. Mariku barely had time to think when he was pushed up against his bedroom door, Namu's mouth smothering his in a sloppy kiss, when the monster reached behind him to turn the knob.

Mariku's mind flashed, and he broke away from the kiss, reaching behind him to set his hand on Namu's, keeping it from opening the door. Because he couldn't let Namu in. Namu would see the knife, and- and his plan would be ruined. That is… unless he had a distraction.

"Namu," Mariku said, lowering his eyes and voice, his breath hot as he wound his arms around its neck, pulling it as close as possible, "God, Namu…" He rubbed his hips against Namu's, and the tentacles between them. "You're going to help me, right?" Grabbing its hand, Mariku kissed it as he jerked it to his crotch where he rubbed it through his pants.

Looking flustered and excited at Mariku's own enthusiasm, Namu responded and rubbed its fingers against his lips, the fabric of his pants making the feeling rough. "Y-Yeah-"

"Hmm." Mariku hummed, grinding against him, sucking on his jaw. Feeling that Namu was properly distracted, Mariku turned the knob of the door behind him, and let them stumble into the room. One of the tentacles tried to flip on a light, but Mariku stopped it, his heart beating fast when he realized that the light might reflect too brightly off of the knife.

"Namu~" His tone was as feminine as he could have possible made it, and it took an effort. Mariku was not feminine, and never wished to be. "Turn around."

"Wh-"

"Just do it." A sudden harsh tone and snappy reply was out of place, and Mariku realized it quickly. Covering up his scowl with seductive looks and softer touches, Mariku broke away from Namu. They both breathed heavily. "You'll like it."

"O-Okay."

"That means the tentacles, too." Namu looked guilty as the tentacles that remained out slowly slithered back behind him. It paused, but eventually, Namu turned to face the wall.

Mariku's façade immediately dropped, and he bolted to the bed, searching around blindly for the knife, and cursing himself that he didn't let Namu turn on the lights. Instead, the knife found him, and Mariku yelped when he cut his middle and ring finger on the blade.

"Are you okay?" Namu turned its head slightly, and Mariku panicked.

"N-No no, it's okay! I just- I just caught my skin in my zipper. Don't turn around."

Namu obeyed, and Mariku exhaled the breath he had been holding. Keeping the knife laying safe on the bed next to him, Mariku pulled off his top as fast as he could, and grabbed the knife, making sure that it was hidden in the cloth. He tossed the shirt over the side of the bed, and kicked his pants off shortly after. Mariku wore no bra, and his underwear came off quickly. Making sure that the knife was perfectly hidden, Mariku smiled when it was, and reclined against the bed.

"Namu." Mariku shifted, spreading his thighs just a bit, and shook his hair out just a bit. "Come over here." Obeying, Namu reached him in almost no time, if not clumsily.

"M-Mariku-" It eyed him hungrily, reaching out to touch the inside of his thigh, but Mariku grabbed its wrist right before they made contact.

"Ah-ah, Namu, ask before you take." Mariku smirked, and placed its hand against his thigh, moving so that Namu could feel how wet he had gotten.

"P-Please." Namu's voice was small and strained, and Mariku almost laughed. He had power. A few tentacles crept out from behind its back, waiting anxiously.

"Just because you asked…"

It was barely a word of consent, but Namu jumped on it, and Mariku, literally. Its hands grabbed his face, and it kissed him repeatedly on the lips. The tentacles swarmed and covered him, almost not knowing where to go, with all the new access to Mariku's skin, without clothes. They were greedy, and fought with each other for who would get to touch where, Mariku's more intimate areas reserved only for the strongest.

Namu licked down his neck and over his collarbone, sucking on the skin right above his small breasts. Its eyes were closed, and the way that it seemed so happy made Mariku's heart give a sudden twang. But he ignored it, and only encouraged the monster, resting a hand on the back of its head and leading him down farther. Namu paused briefly on his nipples, and squeezed his breasts with both hands. The sensation within itself wasn't too exciting, but it made Mariku moan anyway.

Encouraging it to move lower, Mariku jerked his hips up against it, and rocked against it. Namu's hands shook with what seemed to be excitement, and Mariku threw his head back when it tentatively licked at his pussy. Almost shy at first, Namu warmed up when Mariku reassured it that it was doing well, with moans and words that begged it to continue. Mariku could feel its tongue on his lower lips, ghosting over his clit, and focusing on _tormenting_ him by not licking it fully. Moaning in frustration, Mariku bucked upwards, and growled when Namu held his hips down. Namu mouthed against him, flattening its tongue out and licking near the inside of his vagina. Mariku shuddered, and squinted up at the ceiling. It was hard to concentrate on anything, but there was nothing to concentrate on other then the feeling of Namu's fingers carefully moving into him as it finally sucked on his clit. His thighs trembled, Namu still licking and sucking at him while its fingers began to move out then in, out and then in, o-out and-

"N-Namu." Mariku had thought that he couldn't speak before, through the feelings, but now it was a literal effort to form words. "N-Not yet, or I'll cum too soon." He could feel it, that itch inside of him, that want to be _filled_ and pounded into. But he couldn't cum yet. He didn't want to.

Namu looked up at him, its face flushed. It kissed his stomach right above his pubic hair before moving away and laying down next to him. Its eyes lowered, and Mariku watched as its chest rose and fell. There was something about it that put Mariku on ease. That humanity, breathing… Mariku shook it away, and opted for climbing over Namu, hands on either side of its head.

"Come one." His voice was thick as he watched its expression. Namu looked a bit cornered, but eager. "Do you love me, Namu? I want you." Tentacles wound around his waist, and a particularly thick one tried to push between his legs, but Mariku pulled it away. Dipping his body ever slightly, Mariku rubbed his lower lips against Namu's leg, groaning at the pressure against his clit. He moved back and forth, pleasuring himself against him, and always, always watching Namu, as Namu gulped and writhed.

"Y-yes, we do love you. We love you Mariku!" Namu reached out for him, lunged, but Mariku shoved it back against the bed, and it bounced slightly on the mattress.

Mariku wagged his finger, and tutted. "No-no, Namu, don't be so hasty. Relax." And Mariku made sure that Namu did, made sure that the only way he could tell that it wanted him was by the way it chewed its bottom lip, and now the tentacles slithered around his inner thighs. "It feels good, doesn't it?" Mariku wondered briefly if it was all just an act. He had never acted like this before, but somehow, it didn't feel quite fake.

"Y-yes." Namu's hands twitched as Mariku resumed his leisurely grinding against its leg. Namu, though, remained clothed, as always. Its body was not human.

"You want me, don't you?" Mariku smirked, and continued to rub against it.

"Y-Yes!" It looked as though Namu could barely contain itself, and for once, Mariku decided to have mercy.

"Then show me."

The monster and the tentacles needed no more word, and almost immediately, Mariku felt himself being assaulted. Gasping when the thick tentacle entered him, Mariku was jerked forward, and he fell onto his elbows, resting slightly on Namu's chest. The tentacles were erratic, and they barely set a pace, just rocking into him over and over again. Mariku's mind swarmed, and a constant stream of moans left his lips. He spread his thighs farther, feeling so full, but not enough so. There was an itch inside of him, and it begged to be rubbed against. It needed to be touched.

His eyes squeezed shut when the first tentacle released inside of him, and was quickly ushered away by three or four smaller ones that thrust quickly inside to take its place. Namu kissed his cheek and reached between them to rub Mariku's clit while the tentacles rocked back and forth out of him. Mariku's mind was overwhelmed, and thought nothing of it when he reached out to suck on one of the tentacles, needing to do something with his mouth anyway.

Jerking his eyes open and letting go of the tentacle in his mouth, Mariku gasped when the four tentacles made way for a fifth, and rubbed against his g-spot. He clenched around them, and his thighs trembled, bucking his hips towards Namu's hands. They made the same movements again and again inside of him, and Mariku could feel the way they slithered in and out, excreting that liquidy substance. He was hot, so hot hot hot. Mariku barely even comprehended it when Namu kissed him, their tongues pushing against each other.

Mariku's bucking increased as he felt, again, that building pressure within him. He felt it all over, and it made his knees weak and his mind hazy. A new set of tentacles had entered him, and Mariku cried out each time they hit that itch within him. He couldn't control his limbs anymore, and the strain of kneeling took too much of a toll on his tired body. Mariku collapsed onto Namu's chest, his legs spreading as wide as they could possibly go, and he panted, kissing its chest.

"Mariku," Namu's eyes were closed, a deep flush on its face as it sweated just slightly, "I love you."

His breath hitched in his throat when the pressure became unbearable, seething hot and wet, need burning to a mounting summit. "N-Namu, I'm going to cum!"

Mariku screamed when he reached orgasm, tightening around the tentacles inside of him as his vision exploded into white. He choked on air and words, toes clenching, riding it out and feeling as the tentacles still continued to thrust in and out of him until they reached their end as well. Breath was short and erratic, that itch finally feeling satisfied. It was euphoric, and Mariku didn't have the strength to roll himself over. But almost as quickly as it came, it left.

He panted, and rest his head on Namu's chest, feeling the cum ooze out of him and drip down his leg. He closed his eyes, and laid still as the tentacles covered him, wiping him clean and moving him into a more comfortable position. Next to him, Namu said nothing, and Mariku was thankful. After laying next to it for a minute or two, Mariku shivered, and inched next to it. The feeling of Namu reaching over to lay a hand on his hip didn't make him frown.

"We love you."

"…I love you too, Namu." Mariku thought nothing of it when Namu began to silently cry. It didn't seem sad. It wasn't a sob. It was happiness.

* * *

Mariku woke with a jolt in the middle of the night, jerking up with eyes wide open, heart pounding and breathing hard. His eyes darted around, and adrenaline pumped through his veins. How had he almost forgotten? Would he have just stayed asleep? Namu shifted next to him and scooted closer, missing his warmth. Mariku's teeth suddenly clenched, and he ripped the blankets off of him, swinging his legs over the side of the bed to stand.

The floor was cold against his bare feet, but he paid no attention. Searching blindly along the ground, he smiled when he found his pile of clothes. Carefully rummaging through the fabric, Mariku gulped when he felt the handle of the knife. The shirt was ripped in his haste to stand, knife clenched hard next to him.

This was it, this was really it. He was going to leave, he was going to get his life back. No! Not back, he never had it before! He was going to _earn_ it. Mariku grinned so hard that he felt as if he could exhale excitement instead of carbon dioxide. He crossed the floor in a few short steps to make it back to the bed, and crawled onto it on his hands and knees, hearing the mattress groan with his weight.

Kneeling over Namu, Mariku hummed and brushed a piece of its bangs out of its face. It looked so peaceful, happy… No, Mariku would have no regrets. Namu was created to keep him locked up. Without Namu, Mariku would be able to leave, to live! He clenched the knife in his hands, and raised it above his head, ready to plunge it into its chest. But the second his arms began to move, Mariku felt himself being restrained.

A tentacle wound around his arm, holding him solid, and Mariku had forgotten about how strong they were. He growled low, and tried to shake it away, but it would not budge.

"Fuck…" His voice was low, in both anger and to not wake Namu, "Get off of me!"

The tentacle seemed to be confused, and rubbed lovingly and questioningly against him. This one was not intelligent, it didn't know what he was doing, but it somehow understood the danger of the situation. But Mariku would not hurt Namu, or at least, that's what it thought.

Growing angrier, Mariku knew he had few moments to act, and so he grabbed the tentacle and swung his arm down in one thrash, cutting it in half. Black immediately began to ooze from it, blood, and it pulled back behind Namu in terror and anguish. Heart beating wildly, Mariku glanced down at Namu's expression to make sure it hadn't noticed. It's face flashed briefly with slight pain, but other then that, Mariku had been undetected.

Mariku sighed, and wiped some of the blood off of his arm. But once he was ready to try again, more tentacles replaced the one he had cut.

"Goddamnit!" Mariku swore a little too loudly, and thrashed as they tried restraining him. "Let go of me! Get off, get off!" A few more well aimed slashes, and a good number of tentacles lay severed next to him. Adrenaline over took his body, and Mariku completely forgot about the volume of his voice.

"…Mariku?" Namu's voice was groggy, and the sound of it made Mariku's blood turn cold with dread. Oh _shit._ "What are you doing?"

Mariku said nothing, could say nothing as the tentacles slowly unwound from him. He stared down at Namu with wide eyes, blood splattered over his face, arms, breasts, and hands. Time itself seemed to stop as Namu slowly began to realize what had happened, and its eyes flicked down to the knife in his hands and the bloody tentacles that lay next to him.

It looked as though Namu was about to cry, and its voice caught in its throat, choking slightly before looking back up at him. Slowly, Namu reached out to him, and covered his bloody hand that clenched the knife in its own. Mariku said nothing.

"Do it." Namu's voice was so soft, so incredibly kind.

"W-What?" Mariku own was hoarse, and emotion seemed to hit him like a freight train. What- what was he doing? What was he thinking of _doing!?_ Mariku was brought quickly to reality, horrified.

"Kill me, Mariku. You know that we're the only thing keeping you chained here."

"Namu, I can't, I-"

"Yes you can, Mariku!" Namu sat up suddenly and grabbed his shoulders with both its hands, slit pupil eyes burning with determination. "You are the only thing that has ever made us happy. You are the only thing that we live for. You are what makes us Namu. We found who we our, why we exist. We exist to care for you, Mariku. There are no more questions, that is who we are, and we could not be our self if you did not exist. You are you. You are not Malik, you are not an imagination or a lie; you are what we live for. And we want you to live. Be happy. More then anything else, Mariku, we want you to be h-happy."

Namu was crying again, but it didn't seem sad. It wasn't a sob. It was happiness. Namu was crying in happiness. Mariku's hands shook.

"We want you to l-live. We want to give and give and give, not just take. We've only taken, before. We kept you here. Selfish." Namu looked away, turned its face into its arm and hiccupped with tears before looking back. "But… we want to be remembered, too. We want you to remember us, because we love you, and want you to be happy."

"Namu…" Mariku felt like throwing up emotion. He had felt it before… emotion, but now… Now it hit him. Hard. Incredible, aching sadness. Like nothing he had ever felt before. It made him want to sob, die. It was too much to handle. Human emotion. For the first time, Mariku grieved, and Mariku _felt. _Mariku dropped the knife. "I-I can't, I l-love y-"

"You said, that if you regained your body, you would never be happy. And maybe not, Mariku, but you would be _alive_." There was so much hurt in its voice, so much emotion and passion. Mariku felt himself crying as tentacles slowly wound around his limbs. "We got what we want. We wanted a friend, to never be alone again, to be happy and smile. You gave us that. Mariku… let us give you what you wan- deserve."

And Namu kissed him softly. Mariku did not respond, was too torn with grief to understand. He didn't understand any of it. He had thought he wanted out, but Mariku was _happy._ _Now_ he was _happy._ His entire life he had wanted his body, freedom. But Mariku had become human, Mariku felt and Mariku _loved_. He wasn't the Mariku he had been before, during Battle City. That Mariku mourned for what he had not had; a choice. He had known that Malik would again imprison him, and so he had done what he did best during fear; he hated and destroyed. But Mariku had a choice, now. He was not the same as he had been before. Mariku had grown to be- someone. Mariku was someone. He was himself, and he loved Namu.

It was Namu who broke away first, and it gave him a shaky smile, before picking the knife up into its own hands.

"No! No, no, nono, NAMU DON'T!" Tentacles wound around him, and he struggled, kicking and screaming and _sobbing_ in _grief_ and actual_ pain._ Mariku felt _pain_.

Namu said nothing, but smiled, and grabbed the knife in both hands, jabbing it into its stomach. Over, and over, and over again. Blood squished through its fingers, and it screamed in pain, but still, Namu stabbed itself. Tears poured down Mariku's face, and he fought harder then he'd ever had before to save the monster in front of him.

The tentacles around him started to slacken, and Mariku's vision became murky. He could see Namu. Its hands lay at its sides, the knife gone, bleeding, gushing horrible, horrible inhuman blood. Mariku lunged, desperate, but he could barely see. Everything was white, grey, unrecognizable. He was sobbing, and Namu was smiling, mouthing something as the last tentacle around him dropped away; lifeless.

* * *

"Malik? Malik, are you okay?" Isis held the back of his head, looking worried. "You just fainted. …What is it? Malik, are you alright?"

Mariku was crying. Mariku was sobbing, and Mariku felt tears on his face. Tears, real tears, cooled by the air around him as they dripped down his cheeks, never stopping.

"Are you going to be okay?"

Mariku shoved her away, and Isis stumbled back, shocked, and the restaurant full of people began to look their way. Slowly, Mariku stood, wobbly, on his feet, on the ground. The real ground.

"N-No, I'm not okay, I'm never going to be okay."

There was a breeze on his face, real wind, oxygen. Sunshine. So much feeling, sensation. Life coursed through him, blood in his veins and real air that filled his lungs. Mariku was free. Mariku was alive. But Mariku would never be happy.

End


End file.
